Itachi's Suffering
by bloodylucy
Summary: Itachi's life has never been easy. It's been filled with pain and sorrow and hard decisions. Hating and being hated. The only reason why he endured it was that he didn't have to endure it alone. True friends never let you down. Guess I have to rate it M..
1. Terror of war

_Hello everyone :)_

_This is my very first ff and it's about Itachi's life before he had left the village! He visits the academy, graduates and gets some interesting teammates and teachers :)_

_But that's only the start! Just read it ;)_

_The first chapter got a little.. harsh.. well it's about Itachi's experiences during the war after all.. I hope you enjoy it ^^_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, only new invented characters belong to me_

* * *

**Itachi's Suffering**

**Prolog**

"Pathetic! What are you waiting for, boy? Run for it! I'll spare your miserable life! Maybe you'll be lucky and even survive. So run and cling for life!"

The words resounded in his ears as the little boy, merely 4-years-old, cleaved his way through the corpses and debris covering the ground. The enemies had attacked soon after sunset and left no survivors in this part of the village. No idea how he had managed to get separated from his family and ended up right on the battlefield, it had gone too fast to understand, but now was not the time to think about it. He had to get away from here before the men, who had beaten him until he had nearly lost consciousness and didn't even hesitate to drive a knife in his shoulder, changed their mind and killed him after all.

Once again he got dizzy and tripped over something, most likely a body, and fell accurately on his face. Once again the knife drilled itself deeper in his shoulder, causing incredible pain. He should just have pulled it out from the very start, yet he wasn't brave enough to do so. He was afraid of the blood, which would squirt out of his wound. Every time he found himself again lying on the ground, it became harder for him to stand up. At times he was even thinking about just letting it be and waiting for death, but then those words would come back to his mind: "Run and cling for life!"

So he pushed himself to go on, not even knowing where he was heading to, bleeding and crying and sweating due to the heat of the flames the houses were covered in.

A few minutes later he approached the Nakano-river. The stream was like a border between the village and Konoha's forest, so the one who crossed the old, decayed bridge was nearly as good as a traitor. Well, that might be a little exaggerated, the actual borderline was somewhere inside the woods. However, in times of war the rules weren't that strict and the boy saw his only possibility to stay alive in hiding beyond the trees until the situation has calmed down.

He took a look around the area and got sick. Even this peaceful place hadn't been spared: Liters of blood had dripped in the ground and had turned the earth into soft mud, corpses and limbs and single entrails had been scattered all over the place, the river had taken a faint red color, it wasn't too hard to guess why. The smell of blood and death put the boy over the edge. He sank on the ground and vomited something which looked like a mix of slime and blood.

SHIT! He has always been a brave lad, even as an infant. Always been trying to hold back his tears, no matter how hard he got hurt, always being as tough as a little child could be, at least that's what his father had continuously been bragging about.

But this was exceeding a 4-years-old's limits by far. Even an adult wouldn't be able to take that sight just like that.

Slowly he lost the sense of his body, his eyelids got heavier with every second, he got so fucking tired, yet he was pretty much aware that it wasn't such a good idea to take a nap right now.

He had to go on, just to the forest only a few meters further. Once again he heard the words:

"Run and cling for life!" Ironic, that it was the voice of the enemy, which gave him the strength to go on. Every single step was like a fight for life and death. He was very careful were he put his steps, knowing, that if he were to trip over anything or slipped over some slimy bowels, he wouldn't be able to stand up again, in other words, he'd be done for.

Finally he reached the bridge, now it was only a matter of meters. Powerless he dragged himself upon the rotten looking, though still quite solid, wood and grabbed desperately the handrail.

He was completely out of energy, breathing got more difficult any minute. Maybe he should rest, just a while, until he had restored a bit of his power. So he went down on his knees for another time. But instead of getting better his condition became worse and worse. It was so quiet here, all he heard was the pacifying flow of the river and the sound of his blood dripping on the bridge.

_Plop, plop, plop, plop, plop._

The boy had lost too much blood, there was no way he could get any further in this state. Tears ran over his face, fused with the blood and trickled on the bridge.

_Plop, plop, plop, plop, plop._

His vision faded slowly as he looked up one last time. On the other side of the bridge stood a girl, not older than himself, her hair gleamed silver in the moonlight and her apparently white kimono was soaked in dark red blood. Her face was blood-drenched as well, her dark eyes stared at him without any emotion. A little girl, all alone, with silver hair, wearing a kimono, stood at a place, where just a moment ago nobody had been far and wide. Ridiculous. Now he was having hallucinations, a clear sign that he was going to die. So would it matter anyway?

Not taking his eyes off her for even one moment, he used his very last strength to take the knife in his shoulder and pull it out with one move. One last time enormous pain ran through his body and a flow of blood streamed out of his wound. Then his sight got all black and he fainted. His body hit the ground with a dull sound.

The next thing he remembered was the gentle smile of a beautiful little girl. Did he die? No, he heard the river flowing beneath him, so he was still on the bridge. And he was feeling much better than before. The girl helped him, when he tried to sit up. His wound had stopped bleeding and didn't even hurt anymore. What happened?

He wanted to ask the girl, who she was, where she came from, whether she was a foe or an ally. But only one look in her sorrowful eyes made him realize, that small talk was out of place.

So they spent a few seconds just gazing at each other, until the girl suddenly started to cry and pressed her head against his chest. The boy was confused, but realized, that the girl must have suffered the same terror as he had and wrapped his arms around her, one hand he wrapped around her hip, with the other he caressed her soft, silver hair. She smelled like blood and smoke, but beyond all the stench of war, there was a smooth, nice smell. The smell of lilies.

* * *

_Thank you for reading :)_

_Review and subscribe pls^^_

_This was the prolog, so the next chapter will be the actual beginning! It'll be two years later in the Ninja Academy_

_So who's that girl and what's her secret? Read on to figure out ;)_


	2. The new student

_Here's the second chapter^^_

_Like I already said it's about Itachi going to Ninja Academy.. we'll meet some classmates and a new student will appear :)_

_Please enjoy_

* * *

**The new student**

**2 years later**

It was a nice, sunny Monday morning, the sky was clear blue and the birds were tweeting in joy. Here and there you could hear some men laughing and singing as they were working on Konoha's reconstruction. If you didn't know it, there was no way to get the idea, that only a few months ago, the well known ninja village had been attacked by a giant, nine tailed demon fox, which had destroyed more than half the village and slaughtered hundreds of Konoha's forces as well as mere civilians. It was simply a far too nice day to think about the fact, that the village had lost his probably most capable and talented leader that unfortunate day. Nobody wasted a thought about it anymore, not even those workers bothered recalling the reason why they had to rebuild ruined houses.

Well, Itachi remembered it every single day. Every single cursed day he had to go to school and realized, that his way was around three times longer than it used to be before the so called "Kyuubi incident". The teacher reminded him every single fucking day of it when she scolded him because of his permanent lateness. Every time he told her, that his late arrival had some good cause as the council had suddenly come up with the glorifying idea of putting him and his entire clan in some bloody outskirts, which made him _quite simply_ needing more time to get to school, but all that stupid woman had to say was something like he shouldn't talk disrespectful of his higher ups and _quite simply _get up earlier. Pah! As if he would even think about getting up earlier.

That would just be like giving in to the council and that was completely beyond all question.

So what if that teacher was leaving her sarcastic comments every morning? He was way ahead of all the other students in his year and maybe even of every single student in the whole Ninja Academy anyway. And no matter how much that incompetent old hag disliked him, she couldn't change that fact. Though he had just decided not to care, he couldn't restrain a pissed sigh.

"How come you're able to be in a bad mood even though it's such a wonderful, magnificent day full of new opportunities?" Marvelous. That was all Itachi needed to bring this wonderful, magnificent day to perfection: The ever cheerful voice of the likely most unbearable dumbass in the whole village. How dared he to talk about some nice day, when he saw that Itachi was obviously sulking.

The voice of reason told him it had already been ages since "that day" and he should finally stop being mad, come to terms with his new, unfavorable way to school and, furthermore, get up earlier as the voice of puberty told him to hit that bastard walking next to him right in the face.

But as Itachi was six years old and shouldn't be able to hear either of those voices, he decided to simply ask a counter question.

"Well, how come you're going to school for a change?" The brown haired fuzzy-head just smiled. "Well I felt like showing my face here every now and then."

Itachi didn't quite believe his self-appointed arch rival, just as he was quite sure that he wasn't so good-humored due to the nice weather but rather because he had put something suspicious in his breakfast. Seishi, that was that idiot's name, didn't go to school unless he was of the opinion to gain something from it or was nearly dying of boredom.

"No, why are you _really_ coming?" His smile got even broader. "You really don't know, do you? Maybe because you're living in some edge out of town."

Oh, thanks, but Itachi did pretty much realize himself that he was living out in the sticks. Inside of him there was a fierce fight between anger and curiosity. Who would have thought that curiosity would win?

"Tell me then." Seishi seemed to be quite surprised that his head was still between his shoulders, Itachi even had the impression, that he was somehow disappointed. "Well, OK", he muttered, then smiled again, "We're getting a new student today!"

So that explained his good mood. Though Itachi was still convinced that he had already taken something this morning. "A new student? After half a year has already passed by? How is she intending to catch up?" Seishi's eyes widened.

"How did you know it was a girl? I didn't say anything like that! Are you reading my mind, damn Uchiha?"

Well, that was exactly why Itachi referred to him as a dumbass.

First, it was obvious that the new student had to be a girl otherwise Seishi wouldn't have bothered attending classes.  
Second, it was true that the Uchiha clan was said to be able to read other people's minds, an ability based on the Sharingan, the Kekkei Genkai of his family, he didn't even possess... yet of course.

So first the thing with the new location of his house, now he made fun of his family. That asshole seemed to be quite eagerly in trying to make him angry and starting a fight. But not now. Not until Itachi knew everything Seishi did. He rolled his pitch black eyes to show him that he just had missed his question. Seishi strained his continuous snow white eyes apparently not quite satisfied about Itachi's reaction.

"Well then.. _nice_.. the issue should rather be: How are we intending to catch up to her? She's said to be the daughter of Konoha's White Fang after all." (**A/N**: that's right! Kakashi's lil' sis ;) )

That was unexpected. Finally things got interesting. Itachi couldn't remember the last time he had been so excited about going to school. "Daughter? I thought he had a son?"

Take it as revenge! Actually playing dumb to make someone angry was rather unlike him, better fitting to Seishi's behavior. But wel,l his mood had suddenly become much better, he might even feel something like "happiness". Of course he knew that the White Fang had a son. Everyone knew it. The gifted Kakashi Hatake with his awesome CV.

"How stupid are you exactly?" So now it was too late to fight as they were already standing in front of the door to the classroom. The door. If Seishi's information had been right then beyond this door would be someone who possibly would be able to challenge him, maybe even surpass him. His body was trembling in excitement and anticipation.

Itachi opened the sliding door in one fell swoop. The boys were welcomed by annoyed murmur as well as flashy squealing of girls going through the classroom and the piercing voice of the teacher shrieking something like "Oh my gosh, Seishi, what pleasure that you grace us with you presence" and "Itachi, I really hope you slept well tonight, though it wouldn't be bad if you'd _finally _learned the meaning of _getting up earlier._"

GETTING UP EARLIER? OK, Itachi, calm down, everything's fine, don't give her the enjoyment of having broken your insensibility. Though he knew, that the next time he heard this three little words somebody was to die.

The "I really hope you slept well tonight" referred to the second reason the teacher hated him, his bad habit to fall asleep as soon as that woman opened her mouth. But hey, he had a little brother screaming and crying all night so it's not surprising that he made up for his sleep at school, above all since the things they got taught were unnecessary and boring and repeated themselves every single day.

The reason why she hated Seishi wasn't because he didn't deem it necessary to visit her precious classes, she was actually quite relieved that she didn't have to see him every single day since...

Well to understand that you need to know that Itachi and Seishi had one thing in common:

They both neither thought nor acted according to their biological age, but rather like teenagers being stuck right amidst of puberty. In their teacher's mind those two were some kind of ultimate punishment for every single sin she had ever committed. If she had known beforehand that she had to deal with such boys even though she taught a class of six-years-old, she would have rather died on some cursed mission than deciding again to become teacher at the Ninja Academy.

So as Itachi's "abnormality" manifested itself in an everlasting straight facial expression giving the impression that he had no little bit of emotion in his heart, Seishi didn't hesitate to ask any girl out telling her he loved her like no other before her. In other words: A six-years-old womanizer.

OK that wouldn't be such a big problem, but one day Seishi actually stood in front of the teacher complaining about all the girls in his class were so flat-chested (it can't be mentioned often enough that they were 6 YEARS OLD) that it was nearly pitifully. With his second sentence he told her that he was pretty fond of her beautiful decollete (fr., cleavage) and asked her if she wouldn't mind to go on a date with him. And that's the reason why the teacher didn't really like Seishi though he was her best student right after Itachi.

Right now Seishi stood in the entrance looking quite dumbfounded with his lower jaw hitting the floor and a face almost close to tears as he stared at the only girl his age with something like a beginning of a breast and by the way, she was damn cute!

That's Seishi for you!

Now Itachi's point of view:

In front of him stood a girl, average height, average body (he didn't realize her chest), average gal wearing a dress, black and white, laced with frills and ribbons (lolita dress^^), which made her look like a doll. The only thing about her being special was her long, silver hair, quite an unusual hair color though he had heard rumors about an infant with light pink hair (guess who).

Granted, she had a nice face with big, light gray eyes looking at him slightly confused, but yet he had imagined her differently. More like, … whatever, wearing a mask like her brother or some kind of fierce make-up, ..or .. don't know something making her look like a great, fearsome warrior you better don't come too close to.

Thinking about it, that might have been really ridiculous, but well he was still a little boy, he had a strange kind of imagination.

After she had realized that those fairly good-looking boys having entered the room just like that seemed to belong to her new class, she smiled at them, bowed and repeated her introduction. "Hey, my name is Sayuri. Sayuri Hatake. Nice to meet you! I'm really looking forward to attending lessons with you. Hopefully we will get along well!"

"Itachi", the black-haired muttered somehow pissed off as he passed by, not even looking at her and walked towards the only free row in the back. The other one stood suddenly right next to her and smiled. "Hey Sayuri! I'm Seishi. Seishi Hyuuga. It's a pleasure to meet you and I'm _really _positive that we will get along perfectly! Come and sit next to me!"

That's how she ended up between two quite strange guys, one having fallen instantly asleep the moment he got seated, the other one constantly smiling at her obviously trying to hide some suspicious thoughts. Though there was a question lying on the tip of her tongue and she couldn't wait getting rid of it.

She turned her back to that Seishi who was trying to tell her something and looked at the one whose name seemed to be Itachi. His head was buried in his arms. "Ehm... excuse me? Are you really sleeping?" He looked up and glared at her through his loose hair.

"What if I weren't?" Did she do anything wrong or why was that guy so mad at her? Or was she just imagining things? "I wonder.. if there was any chance that.. did we meet before?"

Strange that she said that since Itachi had been wondering the same thing all the time. For one moment he had even been convinced that she had blood on her face but the other second he realized it was clean.

Well little boy, strange imagination.

Before he could answer anything the teacher interfered. "Sayuri, don't you think it might be better to listen to what I'm saying since there are plenty things you have to catch up to?"

Every other girl would have blushed and apologized immediately, but Sayuri seemed to be rather angry that this woman had dared to interrupt her conversation. "Well actually no, as my brother has already taught me everything you talk about. I'm only here because I can't become a ninja unless I go to school so.. you better keep talking to catch up with me!"

That moment Itachi couldn't deny himself a pleased smile as he read from his teacher's face how she slowly realized that the number of pubescent six-years-old in her class had just raised by one.

* * *

_So this was chapter two.. I hope you liked it^^_

_Please review :)_

_so now we've got to know Sayuri and Seishi.. the next chapter you'll get to know a little more about them^^_


	3. A strange date

_Chapter 3! This time Itachi will only play a minor role since I want to introduce Seishi and Sayuri a little more._

_Focus will be on Seishi, though, Sayuri's whereabouts will be kept a mystery for a while ;)_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**A strange Date**

**Several weeks later**

"You're not very popular with the other boys, are you?" Sayuri just tried for the umpteenth time to start a chat with Itachi. She seemed to feel compelled to cotton up with him as they were sitting right next to each other and as soon as she had realized that Itachi wasn't actually sleeping as often as he looked like it, she didn't bother accosting him over and over again.

"No", Itachi replied demonstratively tired. They were all envious of their top class mate being able to sleep the whole day and still having the best scores. Umpteenth rejection. Sayuri wasn't quite happy about the short answer, but didn't make any attempt to give up.

"But you're really popular with the girls, are you?" What's up with those questions? They were rather conclusions. Maybe they were meant rhetorically? So did she even expect an answer?

"Sayuri-chan, give it up already! You see, he wants to sleep! Talk with me! You still haven't told me when you've got time for a date." Seishi attended school unbelievably regularly for his standards. That meant: Three of five days he was actually sitting on his place. Not because he suddenly had discovered the charm of him and Itachi bursting in the classroom 10 minutes after the lesson had already started and all the girls concentrated their attention on them. Rather because of Sayuri, the only girl in this room he hadn't spent a day with yet.. well.. teacher excepted.

"Seishi, I'm really sorry, but I told you. If my brother finds out.. I don't know what he'd do." Obviously some kind of bad excuse. Why should her brother find out unless she told him? On the other hand he was an elite Ninja.. who knew his means?

Not that it was any of Itachi's concern. All he wanted was to sleep and finish school as soon as possible.

"Sayuri, Seishi, I beg you! Please start to discuss your private matters sometime else! Not while I try to give lessons!" The teacher's face was something between desperateness and close to insanity. Every day, after few minutes, even the last student stopped paying any attention to her and watched the conversation in the back of the room. Unbearable.

Sayuri's lips escaped a pissed sigh as she drew out some sketch block on whitch she kept scrawling when she didn't talk or accompanied Itachi in sleeping.

"Sayuri? If I might could give you some little advise.." OMG.. did it just talk? That was the first time Itachi actually said more than one word to her and even did it voluntarily, without Sayuri asking anything. He still had his face hidden in between his arms and didn't bother to look up. It took Sayuri some seconds to gather herself again.

"Sure.." Now she was the one with the one-word-responses. "Go out with Seishi. Otherwise he'll never leave you alone. Sacrifice one afternoon and he'll throw you away like garbage." So that's what he wanted to say? It's not like she didn't know that herself.

"That's not true! I'd never do something like that! How dare you imputing such crap to me, damn Uchiha?"

"It _is _true" All the girls' eyes were turned on Seishi, looking kinda frustrated, as they answered in unison. The teacher was sitting on her chair fighting back her tears. Nobody would like to be in Seishi's shoes right now. Like all his "little bloopers" were shooting back at him. He took Sayuri's hands and looked deeply and sheepishly in her eyes. "Sayuri-chan, please, don't let anything be between us. You know, you're something special, I really like you! So I beg you, please, give me a chance!"

As Sayuri gave it a real thought for the very first time, the girls in the class were screaming at her in a quite disordered manner. "No, don't believe him!", "He told me the same thing!", "He's a playboy! Don't listen to him!", "You'll regret it, believe me!" and so on. The teacher had escaped to the bathroom, she cried probably. Sayuri's face was hard to read. She sighed surrendering. "Well, my brother is on a mission tomorrow, so..."

Seishi's eyes shined in relief. "Oh thank you, Sayuri-chan, I'll pick you up!" Sayuri smiled. "No thanks, I think I'm coming to your house." Seishi looked confused and shocked. "Yeah.. sure.. I won't make you regret it, I promise!"

Itachi rolled his eyes, his face still under his arms. Of course he will. But it was still none of his concern. He felt like someone came closer to him, he felt Sayuri's breath as she whispered in his ear "I'll take your word for it!" How cute. Was she trying to threaten him? For one moment he thought he just had smelled lilies, but he was pretty sure there weren't any lilies growing nearby.

Seishi stood unsteady in the middle of his living room and looked around him. What had happened? It was the very first time he realized that he was actually living on a trash-dump. Have all those packages, pizza cartons, plates, glasses, loose chopsticks and leftovers of instant noodles always been here? Well, they couldn't possibly have appeared overnight, Seishi was most likely staring at the outcome of two years excessive lifestyle. Since his parents had been killed in the war and he was living all alone in his house, he hadn't lifted a finger concerning the chores.

Even more worrying were those empty bottles of beer scattered across the floor and all the jam-packed ash-trays covering the table along with maybe over a hundred butts dispersed only in this part of the house. Not really what you expect of a six-year-old boys house, but if Seishi was good at one thing, it was to know exactly where to go and who to ask to get at several kinds of illegal stuff, even in Konoha. (**A/N: **I know that's sick, but it will become important later, just imagine he is 10 years older and ignore the fact, that I keep mentioning his real age ^^')

His home was a mess and he had never given a damn, until the unfortunate day a girl should actually visit him. He had always managed to keep the girls outside his house, but Sayuri was different. He couldn't refuse her anything. So what should he do to make this pigsty a place to enter without loosing consciousness? Maybe he should start with opening the windows to get rid of the stench of scruffy leftovers, fermenting juice and other undefinable off odors only been made bearable by the resistant smoke of cigarettes, Seishi was already used to anyway. After having handled that, what about dealing with the cause of all the bad smell? Seishi took another look around. No edge had been spared, there were plenty of.. things.. lying under the couch, behind the TV, upon the shelf, there were even some noodles sticking on the ceiling since Heaven knows when. He didn't even remember how they got there. In fact, he was skipping school so he could prepare himself and his house for his date, but know he didn't feel confident anymore to make it in time. He sighed. This was going to be fun.

Seishi laid exhausted on his couch. If Sayuri attached any importance to punctuality, she'd be here any moment now. After having made the living room more or less acceptable, it wouldn't look so good if she found him tired and maybe even sleeping. So he had to pull himself together and stand up. Right now! Or should he rest a little bit.. only.. one second.

"Hey! Seishi! Wake up!" The voice of an angel reached his ears. A beautiful, blond girl danced in the middle of a meadow full of flowers and blossoms carried by the wind. "Seishi", the angel whispered, "Seishi", the voice got louder, "Seishi", now he heard it loud and clearly, "Seishi", it nearly shouted at him. The angel slowly vanished and the meadow got swallowed by the darkness. "No", Seishi screamed, "don't go! Stay with me!" But the beauty had already gone. Then his left cheek felt like it was burning. He instinctively put his hand on it and dozy opened his eyes to find the cause of the pain.

"You've got some nerve! First you ask me out and then you fall asleep!" The angel's hair had turned silver and her eyes glared at him angrily. "No, angel, don't be mad at me! I'm sorry!", he babbled still sleepy. He spread his arms to fling them around her neck as his way of apologizing. The moment he moved forward, the angel has slipped back twinkle-toed as a gazelle and he fell over, right on his face. The tremor was all Seishi had needed to come back to his mind. He remembered: The person standing in front of him wasn't an angel but Sayuri, the girl he had a date with. And as she wanted to come to his house, he tidied it up until he had been so exhausted that he had fallen asleep. After that he called her angel and tried to hug her. Perfect. Maybe he should just keep laying on the floor and pretend to be dead.

"So, what is it now? Are you planning to keep your promise and don't make me regret sacrificing my precious time for you or should I go home?" "No, please don't go." It had taken him ages to get her that far and she didn't look like she would give any second chances. Seishi sat up until he was on his knees and looked at her with big, imploring eyes.

"What the..? Seishi, that's pathetic! Get up already!" He did what he was told to and grinned at Sayuri with his heartbreaking smile. She blushed. That was the moment he knew he had won.

"S-so what are we doing now?" She was confused. When she had arrived here, she had found that strange guy asleep, he had called her angel and had tried to hug her. And now he was smiling as nothing had happened. Coincidence? She doubted it! It seemed like he had been planning it all along! So what was he going to do next? Maybe he tried to approach her even more. So somehow she felt like having committed the biggest mistake in her life.

"What do you want to do?" Well, fine, she wanted to go home, but it didn't seem like Seishi would let her go that easily. "I'm thirsty! What about bringing me a glass of water?" So she could be alone for a while. He looked at her pretty surprised, then he smiled again. "Sure!", he said and left through a door which apparently led to the kitchen. Finally. Now Sayuri had time to think about how she could get away from here as soon as possible. She investigated the room. It didn't look like Seishi's mother was a maniac for housework. Thinking about it where were his parents? Seishi had never talked about his family before. Maybe they were working. As she looked around she realized a small black shelf standing quite lost at the wall. There wasn't anything special about it except of a picture frame with the face downside. Sayuri's interest was awakened. She took the frame to see the picture, but the glass was so dusty that she couldn't discover anything. Seishi's mother was definitely NO maniac of housework. Though she knew that she wasn't at home, she couldn't hold back. She wiped off the dust with her hand and looked at a happy family smiling at her. A beautiful mother, a quite handsome father and in front of them two, maybe three or four years old boys looking absolutely identically. They were holding each other and laughed in joy.

"What are you doing?" Seishi suddenly appeared next to her and seized the picture out of her hands, then laid it carefully back there, where it had been before, with the front downside. "Sorry.." Sayuri had been caught red-handed but she just didn't know when to stop. Taking the glass of water out of Seishi's hand, she started to inquire. "Thanks. You've never mentioned that you have a twin brother." She sipped at the water and looked at Seishi expecting his answer. He felt the dagger running through his heart. "_Had_", he admitted, "He died two years ago during the war.. along with my parents. I'm actually living alone in this house." His voice was dull. Now Sayuri felt the dagger in her heart. "Oh.. I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have.." "No, it's alright, really, I'm over it." Seishi didn't sound like he was. Sayuri felt miserable. Why did she say that? Why did she even look at the picture? Now she saw him from a different angle, she felt pity for him. She wanted to comfort him, but Seishi turned his back at her and sat on the couch staring sorrowful into space. He knew what he needed right know but he couldn't smoke or drink beer in front of Sayuri. Just as he couldn't start pouting in front of his date. He had to cheer up, without the use of any little aides, only using his spirit.

Beneath him the couch shivered for a second, Sayuri had sat down next to him. "Seishi, I'm really sorry. Why did you never tell me anything.. I mean.. If I had known.."

"Sorry.." "No! Don't apologize! I'm the one who made a mistake!" She felt sorry. She really did. Seishi could take full advantage of her situation, he could make her do anything without her resisting. He knew that and it wasn't like Seishi wouldn't be the kind of guy to do so, but right now he just didn't feel like it.

"Seishi? Please.. say something.." That pain in her eyes. He didn't want to make her suffer. He wanted her to smile so he could return it. "Don't worry. It's alright, I already told you." It wasn't. Sayuri knew it. If it was alright, why did he hide the picture from himself? She knew exactly how he felt, she knew it just too good to leave him all alone with his pain. "The picture..", she started, but Seishi interrupted her.

"I thought.. if I just let it be and slowly forgot their faces, it would get better. I thought I'd be able to make the pain disappear if I just imagined that they'd never existed. But every time I look in the mirror, I see his face. I see his eyes looking at me, my mother's eyes. He smilies at me with the smile of my father." He didn't know why he was telling her all that crap, he had never talked about it with anyone. But somehow it made him feel better to talk about it rather than compensate it with booze and nicotine.

Sayuri looked at him with a sad and guilty expression on her face. "Because I took the picture you saw them again.. I'm so sorry." "No, it wasn't right to try forgetting them.. I finally realize it.. I have to keep remembering them." Sayuri laid her hand on his shoulder. "I appreciate that you told me. You know whenever you want to tell me more, I'll listen." She stood up to go, she felt like he wanted to be alone. But she was wrong. He grabbed her and drew her back. "Don't go." The moment she left the room he would start ruining his body even more. He didn't want to anymore, he wanted to stop, but he couldn't. Seishi was a boy, he would never talk about his feelings, it made him fell so weak.. but now.. he wanted to get rid of his sorrow.. he wanted to tell Sayuri everything he remembered.

"Will you... listen?" Of course she would. She would sit next to him even if it took the whole day. She nodded. And Seishi started to narrate his story.

"The day when the enemy attacked Konoha, we've been at home waiting for something to happen. My parents were chuunin, they never tried to become elites or anything, they always wanted to care for the children, missions had always been second-ranked. We heard screams and smelled the smoke. We've been so afraid. My father decided to look outside, to make sure that we could evacuate. We couldn't. The moment he had set a step in front of the house, he was hit by a kunai right at his head. He was dead immediately. I wanted to run after him, but mum held me back. She cried, she wanted to go to him, but she knew, that then we'd suffer the same fate. So we went through the back-door and followed some side streets. Me and my brother were very slow as we've been only four years old, but mother would have been faster by far. Yet she didn't hover over us even for a second. That was her mistake. When I turned back her chest was pierced by a speer, it went exactly through her heart. She whispered 'run', then she collapsed."

Seishi covered his face with his hands. "If I've just had been faster", he muttered, then went on. "I couldn't run. I stared at her, tears were running down my face. I couldn't move my body, even though I knew that the enemy's men were only a few meters away from me. I didn't even realize, when one of them threw an explosive tag right at the house next to us. My brother screamed at me. 'Move'. But I just didn't. So he hustled me. When I looked at the place, I had been standing just a moment ago, I saw a giant boulder. Beneath it was a little arm, still quivering, and a puddle of blood slowly splayed." His whole body was shivering. "If only I had moved"

"I screamed 'brother', I shouted and cried in pain. I couldn't believe what had happened. It was so terrible, so surreal. The next thing I felt was a hand grabbing my face and dragging me up. I heard a direful laugh and sensed someone ripping my shirt off. I felt a tongue on my neck. 'Such a pathetic young boy, I'll give you a reason to cry. Don't worry, I'll make it fast, you won't feel anything. Well, yes, you will'" Seishi stopped. He took a deep breathe and exhaled again. He knew, that Sayuri had the brain to interpret the rest of the story herself.

"Don't worry, he did nothing. Well, he tried, but then he was sliced into two by one of ours. I was soaked in his disgusting blood. Everything went black and when I regained consciousness, Konoha was in peace again and I was alone."

Seishi closed his eyes. He didn't dare to look at Sayuri's face. What would she think of him after hearing all that? Why did he even tell her?

"Sei..shi.." Her voice trembled, she sobbed. He looked at her, she was crying, big teardrops wept from her cheeks. "I'm so sorry!", she shrieked and flung her arms around him. He was so surprised, that he couldn't resist the weight (though she was really light) and was knocked over. They were lying on the couch, Sayuri upon him, her head against his chest, and she cried and cried. He wrapped her arms around her. "Sayuri? Don't cry. Not even I cry!"

"How are you able not to cry?", it was hard for her to talk while crying, "I'll weep for you, idiot!"

Seishi didn't know how long they were lying there. He didn't bother. He stroke her hair and simply waited 'til she was better. He _was_ better. It felt so good to have someone to talk to, someone he could share his suffering with. Looking back, that might have been the moment, he had fallen in love with Sayuri.

* * *

_So that's been Seishi's story.. maybe you felt a little like crying as I did.._

_So next chapter back to Itachi :) _

_He'll make himself really unpopular.._


	4. Friends and Foes

_Here follows a rather short chapter^^_

_Itachi looses his indifference for the first time.. just read and enjoy :)_

* * *

**Friends and foes**

**The next day**

The teacher's lower jaw flapped downwards, when she entered the classroom and found Itachi on his seat. She shook her head. It was impossible! Maybe she was still dreaming or had hallucinations. It couldn't be possible, that Itachi had really bothered to get up early today, could it? No, absolutely ridiculous. She pinched herself and looked at the last row for a second time. There he was. Sitting on his place, not even sleeping, just flashing her a pissed glance which said 'Believe it, I'm here!'.

Itachi didn't get up earlier. Of course he didn't. Actually he had just skipped breakfast this morning. He had some little fight with his father and didn't want to have to see his face while eating. So he simply decided to go to school, knowing that it would ruin his perfect tardiness rate. Furthermore he didn't want Seishi to catch up with him when he went to school and tell him every single detail about his date with Sayuri yesterday. Speak of the devil, she came in. Lithe as always she pranced through the room. Still she didn't look too good today, she had dark circles around her eyes, like she didn't sleep much last night. Itachi would even go a step further, claiming she had cried. But why would she do that? She knew all along that Seishi wanted to use her. She knew that he would hurt her like he did with all the other girls. Though she got involved with him, just to get rid of him. So where was the point in crying?

The moment she was realized by the others, they jumped up and ran towards her. They wanted to know everything of her date. They didn't give a damn, that she looked like death warmed over, maybe they didn't even notice it. They've been children after all, selfish, simple-minded and straightforward. Sayuri did her best to force a smile and said something. Itachi couldn't understand it, as it was so noisy. She shook her head, then made her way through the crowd to her place next to him. The others stared at her dumbfounded. Now Itachi was caught by curiosity again. He felt like asking her as well, what she and Seishi did yesterday, but then he remembered, that he wasn't like his classmates and considerate enough to shut up. So he just waited, hoping she'd start talking to him of her own accord.

"Morning!", she yawned as if it was the most normal thing, that she came in and greeted Itachi who's been here for a few minutes. It took her some time until it crossed her mind, that there was actually something odd here. She looked at him wondering what it might be. Itachi waited for her to realize.

"Do you have a new haircut?", Sayuri asked him with a serious face.

"Are you kidding me?" He answered with a just as serious face. It sure had to be a strange look. Two little children staring at each other with an emotionless gaze while talking crap.

"No honestly. Your hair is really quite long. Didn't you ever think about having it cut?" She obviously was trying to avoid nasty questions about Seishi by sticking to a.. nasty topic. Great idea. "No", he answered as if she had asked him something like 'Are you stupid?'. In fact, he couldn't cut his hair even if he had wanted to. He had some kind of bet with Seishi concerning who had the longer hair. Itachi stayed ahead but if he'd only sacrifice a few centimeters he was sure to be caught up.

"I see.. what a pity.." She didn't actually _mean_ it, did she? He sort of liked his hair. And now he somehow felt like his honor was insulted. It was time to change the subject and get some revenge.

"Anyway, how was your date with Seishi? You don't look like it was.. fun." He asked her. Why was he even talking to her? He didn't bother messing around with her up until now. Thinking about it, he had never bothered messing around with _anybody _since Seishi was the only one who could form a proper sentence in this playschool. Well, now Sayuri was here, too. So why shouldn't he bestow her the honor of talking with a full-blooded Uchiha. Maybe because she made fun of his hairstyle.

Her face changed. "But it was.. fun". She didn't have such a big vocabulary though.

"You sure?" In that moment Seishi entered the room. The lesson hadn't even started yet, he was really early, too. But why did he come anyway? He got what he wanted, didn't he? Something was utterly wrong here. Sayuri jumped up and ran towards him. She said something and laughed, Seishi joined in. _That _was strange. If you didn't knew it better, you'd think they were.. friends. Still it was impossible for Seishi to only be friends with a girl. So WHAT THE FUCK was going on between those two? It wasn't like Itachi would care even the slightest bit.. yet it bugged him somehow.

It went on like this the whole morning. They were talking about this and that and laughed. Itachi was so pissed off that he even tried to follow the lesson.. until he realized that the teacher was trying for the maybe fiftieth time to explain the use of the Bunshin-no-Jutsu for those who still haven't got it. Then he tried to sleep, but he wasn't really tired. Finally the bell released him. At first. It was only lunch time. He still had few hours to bear. While he was thinking about skipping classes and going home, he saw those two, smiling at each other like a amorous couple. That put him over the edge.

Before he knew it he was standing next to them. "Don't you have a home?" Seishi and Sayuri looked at him puzzled. "Do you need anything, damn Uchiha?" As long as he could remember, Seishi had never called him anything else than damn Uchiha. So did he need anything? No. What was he doing here? Itachi couldn't recall how he got himself in that situation.

"Well.. It's disgusting to look at you two.. flirting.." Why did he get the feeling, that this conversation was heading in a completely wrong direction? Sayuri's face became even more confused. "But we're just talking.." She seemed to have a hard time finding any mistakes in her behavior. Of course, she had. She didn't do anything wrong after all. Unfortunately Seishi was quite aware of that. He grinned at Itachi with a overconfident smile. "What's up? Jealous?" He felt like he was slowly sinking in the hole he had dug himself. How was he supposed to get out of that crap? He made a derisive sound. "Jealous? Of whom? Of someone who doesn't even have parents anymore?" He knew that he was right. He also knew that he was being a disgraceful asshole. Now he wouldn't be able to look in the mirror for about a week. But well, at least he seemed to be able to get out of here without loosing his image.

Sayuri and Seishi stared at him with big eyes, not believing what he had just said. He couldn't believe himself, but now it was too late to think about it.

"How dare you?" Now Seishi was really angry.. and justifiable so. He bared his teeth and lifted his right arm to strike a blow. Perfect, now he got himself in a fight.

Itachi dithered. What should he do? Should he just let him be since he deserved a black eye or dodge and take him on? Seishi was in rage and in a direct fight without him holding back, it was like impossible to beat him. It was quite hard to surpass a Hyuuga in Taijutsu, anyway, just like it was nearly impossible to outdo an Uchiha in Genjutsu. Itachi was better than Seishi by far, he knew that, yet.. when it only came to a standard close combat.. well.

Itachi felt a light air draft next to his ear. He had been thinking for too long and now he had dodged intuitive. Seishi was prepared for that. He pulled his arm back and kneed Itachi in the guts, which made him slither back a few meters. Ok, enough is enough. He wanted war? He could get it.

Itachi got up on his feat again and ran towards his opponent. With a well aimed kick in his face he could knock him out, but Seishi was too fast and grabbed his foot before it reached his head. Of course, Itachi had been prepared for that, too. He hit him with his fists in his kidney making him letting go and bending on the ground. "Shit", he shouted, "you're gonna pay for this!" The other pupils had already gathered around the two fighters, some looking shocked, some entertained. Sayuri hadn't moved from the spot yet, as if she still didn't get what was going on. "Stop it! Right now!" The teacher appeared out of nowhere.

Neither Itachi nor Seishi gave a damn about her, they had things to settle here.

Ready for the second round. Seishi simply avoided the woman standing between him and his opponent and ran straight towards him. "Die!", he screamed, his eyes burning in hatred. Itachi prepared himself to get serious. He didn't really intend to die.

Seishi barely managed to jump back in the last second before he got caught in the huge wall of flames, which had suddenly appeared to separate the two boys. The flames were at least 5 meters high (about 16.5 feet) and immersed the place in incredible heat. It was so bright that everyone had to close their eyes. The fire vanished as fast as it had appeared. Only a few seconds later it was completely extinguished, just leaving some burnt grass. Itachi looked around trying to find the cause of the chaos. There she was, standing on the same line as the fire just a moment ago. "Stop it already..", she whispered hardly audible. Sayuri looked even worse than this morning, she was as pale as snow. The fire didn't actually come from her, did it? It was impossible. No six-years-old little girl should be capable of doing such a great Jutsu.

She got paler with every second and slowly lost balance. "Sayuri!" Seishi wanted to run to her when she collapsed, but he was too late. There had already been somebody catching her before she hit the ground.

It wasn't very easy to guess that boys age, the lower half of his face was covered by a mask and his eye was hidden beneath his headband. The silver hair sticked out in the air as if he had a hedgehog on his head. It didn't take Itachi too long to realize who was standing there holding Sayuri in his arms: It was Kakashi Hatake, her older brother. (**A/N:** Yay! I finally managed to have Kakashi appear!)

"She's used to much Chakra. Her body can't take such Jutsus." He talked more to himself than to somebody else. Like the totally overextended teacher approaching him confused. He didn't care about her. Holding his little sister carefully he turned himself to go. "Wait!" Itachi didn't want him to go that easily. "Are you trying to tell me that Sayuri was responsible for that fire right now?" Kakashi gave him an annoyed gaze. "Dunno.. I haven't been here. Did you give her a reason?" Did he? Well maybe he did.. But he didn't intend to leave it like this.

"She'll be alright, will she?" Seishi was absolutely jazzed. "Yeah." The Ninja looked suspicious at the boy who seemed so concerned about his sister. "Finished now? I'll bring her home then." Itachi wanted to say something, but before he could a faint voice interrupted him. "Brother.." Sayuri was still conscious.

She stared at Kakashi with a begging look. He nodded and Sayuri turned her attention towards Itachi.

"Itachi? You know what? You're a.. a.. fucking asshole!"

Kakashi rolled his eye(s?). Always such vulgar expressions.

Itachi was speechless and stared at the two

silver-haired while they disappeared in in front of his eyes.

* * *

_Just like I said: Itachi just made himself unpopular_

_Please review :)_

_Next chapter will conclude the Ninja Academy times! Seishi and Sayuri will force Itachi in a pretty awkward situation^^_


	5. Boredom causes stupidities

_So here's the next chapter and the last where Itachi is six years old.._

_Slowly Seishi and Sayuri are pushing poor Itachi over the edges of sanity^^_

_enjoy :)_

* * *

**Boredom Is the most common cause of stupidities**

Oppressive silence was laying upon the playground. Nobody dared to break it. Itachi was still staring dumbfounded on the place, where those two siblings had been standing just a few seconds ago. Seishi was still too confused and worried to be gleefully.

It could have gone on like that until the end of the day if the teacher wouldn't have plucked up her courage and sent the children with a trembling voice back into their classrooms. Relieved the pupils entered the Academy whispering and discussing about what they just had seen.

Neither Itachi nor Seishi made any attempt to move. When he managed to get his thoughts more or less ordered, Itachi looked at Seishi's face. He could read in his painful face that he was blaming himself for everything that had happened. But it was Itachi's fault. He had been the one who wasn't able to control himself, he made Sayuri push herself so hard.

Seishi realized that he was being watched and returned the look. His eyes darkened. "What? Still wanna fight?" It was only logical that he was still angry at him and wanted his pay back. But Itachi wasn't in a mood for fighting at all. He stared at the ground. This was the moment to apologize, but Itachi wasn't the type of guy who admitted his mistakes.

"What about you?"

"I still want to smash your damn face!"

"Then go ahead. I won't dodge this time." His father won't be very pleased to see him having lost in a battle, but Itachi didn't care anymore. Otherwise he won't be able to forgive himself for what he had said.

Seishi stayed quite. He looked at him suspicious considering some kind of trap.

"Not now. Later. But I'll definitely make you pay!"

"Sure. I'll wait."

Itachi's voice got low. What did his words do to Seishi?

"That face of yours doesn't suit you.." How did he look like right know? He was staring in the air hating himself for being so thoughtless and rubbing salt in someone's greatest wound and not even being able to apologize. He must have looked badly pitiful.

"I'll keep that in mind"

Silence. There wasn't anything left to say. Seishi turned around. "I'm going home." He sounded slightly disappointed. Maybe he had waited for any kind of apology.

"Seishi.." Itachi couldn't believe that he was really doing this. "You're parents sacrificed their lives in the war. They're heroes."

Seishi stared at Itachi while he was leaving the Academy lot and even stood there all alone while he had long vanished beyond the gate. He sure wasn't someone to get along with, but maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all.

When the students went home that afternoon, they felt like knowing even less than this morning. They didn't know why Sayuri and Seishi were so good friends, they didn't know why Itachi was so mean, they didn't know how that cute girl has been able to unleash such a great Jutsu, they didn't know why she even interfered in the fight. But there was one thing they were sure off: Those guys will cause a lot of trouble in the future.

When Itachi went to school the next Monday, Seishi walked next to him as always. They didn't talk much, as always. They couldn't stand each other, they just walked together to school, because coming too late felt better when you weren't alone, just as always. Everything was like nothing had ever happened and none of them wanted to start talking about it. Yet there was something different today. Something felt utterly wrong here. Maybe it was because of that girl between them. She wore a black and white dress laced in frills and ribbons, which sparkled in the sunlight. Her face was pale, so her dark gray eyes looked nearly black and her soft, silver, shining hair was bound in two long braids with even more ribbons. It was like she wanted to say: _Take me and put me on your shelf._

Sayuri had appeared out of nowhere, smiling like the sun itself. When Seishi saw her, his face changed from tired and pissed off in the broadest grin Itachi had ever seen. He asked her if she was feeling better and she just nodded before she gave Itachi a hateful, warning glare. Since then she was walking between them as if she wanted to protect her dear friend Seishi from the despicable bully.

Isn't that unfair? It's two against one.

Itachi still wanted to know what Sayuri actually had done that day, but he didn't really wanted to start with it now, otherwise Seishi might remembered that there was yet an invoice open.

When they reached the gate to the Academy, Seishi suddenly stopped. Sayuri and Itachi looked at him surprised. He made a serious face and said: "Are you sure you want to go inside? I don't think the dust has settled it yet."

Well, Itachi didn't think so as well, but he rather bared the gazes and whispers of the others than being forced by his mother to babysit his brother for even one more second. She was actually quite relieved that her son was skipping school for some days, she didn't even bother to ask why, she just pressed him the infant into his hand, gave him some advices and left the house to meet with friends or go shopping or whatever.

"So, why did you come then?" Sayuri glared at him as if it was the worst imaginable sin that he talked to Seishi.

"Yeah. Why did you come then?" He couldn't believe that girl. What should he think about her? On the on hand she was a cheeky little bitch, on the other she was.. well she obviously wasn't such a bad Ninja.

"You see.. there's still something I have to settle with you, Itachi."

Shit. When Seishi didn't greet him with a sudden attack from behind, Itachi was actually hoping that he had forgotten everything. He may acted cool that day but he wasn't really keen on having his perfect face demolished. He had told him that he wouldn't dodge..

"You don't want to fight again, do you?" Sayuri was getting nervous. What was her problem? It had nothing to do with her.

"Well, actually I was thinking about a peaceful solution of our little.. problem."

A peaceful solution? Now Itachi was getting nervous. Who knew what was going on in Seishi's head? He'd rather be beaten up than being dragged in one of his stupid ideas.

The broad grin returned. That didn't look too good.

"So what do you say?"

"Well.. _actually.._"

"Perfect! I knew you where in!"

Itachi didn't know how he managed to end up sitting on a bench in the park and listening to Seishi's ridiculous master plan. He seriously wanted Itachi to help him breaking into the Hokage's mansion and stealing some scrolls with secret Jutsus. His reason? He was just as bored as Itachi was himself. In school they had learned exactly three Jutsu: Henge (transformation), Bunshin (clone), and Kawarimi (body change). (**A/N:** I don't know the english names.. I hope you're familiar with the japanese ones ;P)

Now the teacher was only trying to make the others really capable of using them. Itachi, Sayuri and Seishi were able to use them since ages ago.. but it wasn't like the teacher cared to teach them anything new.

So Seishi had simply decided to get some new on his own. What a brilliant idea. Itachi was speechless. He might should ask were he got that detailed plan of the house from and how he came to the idea that Itachi would even think about participating, but, yeah he was speechless.

"Can I come with you, too?" Sayuri seemed to be really excited. This was all too much. How did he get himself into that crap? If he had known how far it would bring him, he would have admitted that he was jealous on Seishi rather than starting a fight.

"Of course, you can! I've actually already included you in my plan!"

Please someone kill him!

Sayuri smiled pleased.

"I can't do that! You know my family is the police and.."

Seishi's eyes got smaller. "And my family is dead, is it that what you want to say?" Two evil pairs of eyes stared at him. What the..? How dares he throwing Itachi's words around like nothing.

Now it was over. There was no way to get out of it.

"Ok, I'm in." He gave in.

"I know, I've already decided for you just in case you forgot", Seishi answered with fake wrath.

_Dear author, it isn't too late to kill him yet. Please just let him being crushed by some big bird falling from the sky. I'm gonna comfort Sayuri.. ehm.. no I won't, she's strange._

"Ok, everyone, listen, there's no time to fight, that's gonna be really hard, but I know we can make it! The keyword is: teamwork!"

* * *

**Same day, late evening, back in the park**

"Fine, everyone is here. You all know your task? Or should I repeat it once more?"

"No, idiot, you've already told us a hundred times, we've all got it by now." Itachi couldn't believe that he was doing all this. Sayuri looked at him angrily.

"Shut up! You're just angry because you can't take it that Seishi is the boss here! Just let him do it like he wants to! Stop complaining, idiot"

"What's your fucking problem?"

"My problem? I'll tell you my problem! My problem is.."

"Hey!", Seishi interrupted the little argument, "I've told you, didn't I? It's all about teamwork! So please behave."

Itachi and Sayuri sighed pissed. They both didn't like the idea of teamwork and behaving.

"Ok, let's synchronize watches!"

Itachi and Sayuri looked at him confused. "Seishi, you're not having a watch yourself.. neither do I"

"Same here..", Sayuri said.

"Well I know.. but it sounds so cool I just wanted to say it!"

Itachi felt like being caught in some _really_ bad movie. "You sure, that you want him to do this?", he whispered to Sayuri. "Well.. I hate to admit it but you have a point there..", she whispered back.

According to the occasion, she had her hair bend in a ponytail. As Seishi had told them to wear something black, she wore a black corset a short skirt, long black silk gloves and stockings. Does she have any normal clothes? There was something Itachi didn't like to admit, too. No matter what she wore or how she had her hair, she was still terribly beautiful. Seishi had to be the luckiest guy in the world. Provided that they were together.

"Well then, let's finally get started."

The room where the secret scrolls were hidden, was in the second floor, right next to the Hokage's office. That made it even harder. Seishi's plan was quite simple. He would check the house with his Byakugan, so he saw every person moving around. So they always knew if the coast was clean or they had to hide somewhere. Just in case they were caught, Sayuri would find some excuse and convince anyone with her lovable smile that they were just playing. Itachi's task was to find a way to open the door. Why did he got the toughest? How was he supposed to open the door, anyway? That's really ridiculous. Nearly as ridiculous as the way they were moving through the mansion. Seishi and Sayuri were sliding along the wall with a straight, wakeful face. Seishi could see through walls and everything , yet he insisted on that crap. For him it was all a game. Itachi didn't want to know what his father would say if he got to know what he was doing right now.

They were lucky, it didn't seem like there were many people in her today. So before you could say knife they were standing in front of the door. Now they came to Itachi's part. He was standing there wondering how to open it. The others looked at him tensely. What did they expect? Some great door-opening Jutsu, only been passed down in the Uchiha clan?

Itachi took a deep breath, breathed out, shrugged and pressed the door handle down. The door opened.

"It's open.", he just said as if it was the most usual thing for a door to the secret heritage of an infamous Ninja village not to be locked and stepped in the room. Seishi and Sayuri exchanged a dumbfounded gaze, then followed him.

It wasn't like they were wrong here or something, this was definitely the room with the secret scrolls. Itachi looked around. There were hundreds of scrolls only waiting to be read.

"Do you have any particular Jutsu in mind you want to learn?", he asked Seishi. Seishi grinned at him.

"I was thinking about the Kage-Bunshin no Jutsu (shadow clone)"

"I see.. so you have an idea where it is?" Itachi wasn't very confident in finding a specific Jutsu in here.

"It's right there, in the second shelf, the third row."

Ok.. to whom the fuck belonged that deep, raucous voice? An old man?

"H-hokage-sama? W-what are you doing here?" Seishi's voice didn't sound promising.

"I'm living here, my son", the voice answered gently, "but funny you ask me that, I had the same question in mind right now."

Finally Itachi realized the truth. That was all a dream.. a very bad nightmare. Any minute now he'd wake up and find himself at home in his bed. His mum will open the door and ask him if he can babysit his brother today. Then he will spend the whole day with changing diapers and playing stupid baby games. Someone pinch him, please.

"So, let's see who we have here. Sayuri Hatake, beautiful as ever. I heard you made some mess at school." "G-good evening, Hokage-sama. I'm very sorry about that." Poor girl.

"And you have to be Seishi, right? From the Hyuuga Clan. I'm very sorry about what happened to your family." "Y-yeah. It sure was hard." Maybe Itachi should turn around now. He had never realized how beautiful some old scrolls could be. He could spent the whole day staring at them.

"And the last one?" Itachi slowly turned around. He felt his heart beating.

"That's surprising, Itachi Uchiha. I wouldn't expect someone of you're status being involved in something like that." Farewell, life, it was nice as long at it lasted.. actually not.

"Yeah, I know, but it was ALL his idea." Seishi yelled and pointed at him.

"WHAT? You dragged me along, bastard!"

"Please don't fight, I don't care whose idea it was. It's really impressive how you managed to get in here unnoticed. What's you secret?"

"Teamwork", Seishi answered proudly. Fuck that teamwork! He was just trying to betray him.

_Dear author, kill him now or never! Let him being crushed by a giant super scroll._

"Ah, I see. So young and you've already understood the main principle of Ninjas." The Hokage nodded impressed. "But I'm afraid you have to take the responsibility for what you have done here. Since nothing has happened I'm going to let you're parents decide the punishment, Itachi, Sayuri, you're brother will do that.. and you Seishi.. since I guess that you were the main actor here I'm going to make you regret it."

Sayuri's face looked pitiful. It seemed like her brother wouldn't forgive her that easily. She was nearly crying. What would he do to her? Itachi had a pretty good idea of his punishment. Mum would go on a wellness weekend. And he had to cook and clean and of course babysit. The Hokage was unpredictable. He could smile, but thinking about torturing Seishi to death.. well he might won't go that far.

Why did he got that feeling that nothing of this would have happened if he wouldn't have been so mean to Seishi? Maybe he would have never come up with this idea. Itachi sighed.

"Please don't punish those two. It's just like Seishi has said, it was all mine idea. I forced them to help me" A wellness week then. But at least he felt better now. Sayuri and Seishi looked at him shocked.

"Well, if that's the case, then I'm going to inform your parents. You can go now."

Itachi left. Maybe he should use the window and go to sleep. He should stock up some strength for a looong conversation with his father tomorrow.

"WAIT!", Sayuri ran after him. She looked angry. "If you think I like you now, you're utterly wrong! I still think you're an asshole and I will always think so!"

Itachi looked at her with his emotionless face.

"Don't be so egocentric! Not everything in the world happens for your sake. I didn't do that for you or Seishi. I just did it for myself. And I won't expect you to understand it."

With these words he turned around and left in the darkness. Sayuri stood there not getting what just has happened. When Seishi caught up with her and asked her what had happened she just stared in the darkness. Her cheeks were slightly red. "He's so cool", she whispered not understandable for anyone else than herself.

* * *

_I'll be too late. They're all waiting for me! I have to hurry! _Ayame ran across the street as fast as she could. In each of her hands were shopping bags filled with fresh food and important ingredients for the best Ramen in the entire world. Now she only had to bring it to the store before any customers came. How could everything run out in the middle of the rush hour? That was terrible!

Just as she turned around the corner she crushed against something.. or better someone. She was kneeling on the ground and all the things were scattered around her.

"Oh no! No! I have no time for this! Why does that crap always happen to me?" She was desperately trying to push everything back into the bags.

"Need some help?" The voice of a boy asked her. When she looked up, the face of an angel was looking at her. His black hair was hanging down loose in his face and his black eyes were looking at her pervading. Her face felt like it was burning. "Y-yeah", when she finished the word the boy had already refilled the bags and offered her his hand. She took it and the boy helped her up. "I'm actually late but I'll help you carrying the bags home if you want me to." She just nodded. Her face was as red as a tomato.

"You're late!" Sayuri shouted at Itachi as soon as she saw him. "Sorry.." He just moaned back at her. Ayame trudged behind him.

"Thank you.. very much", Ayame took the bags and disappeared behind Ichiraku's Ramen store. Sayuri and Seishi were already sitting on the chairs.

"So why did you want me to come, anyway?" It hasn't been very easy to get away from home. His father was keeping him busy with an endless amount of work. He sat down next to Sayuri.

"Well, there's something we have to celebrate!" Seishi was as cheerful as ever. It couldn't be anything good if he was so happy.

"Ichiraku! Some Sake, please!" The old man who seemed to be Ayame's father just laughed. "Forget it, boy!" Seishi sighed. "Such a pity..", he said.

"What is it Seishi? Tell us already!" Sayuri didn't seem to know as well.

"Well you know.. the Hokage was really impressed of our talent.. so he said when we finish this year properly we can make an exam and if we're lucky we're becoming Genin! Isn't that brilliant? Of course, that wouldn't have happened without my great ingenuity!" That was definitely good news. So only half a year of school left and he would become a Ninja? That would lessen his punishment.

* * *

Well.. that's how easy it goes^^

Review pls :)

Next chapter will be two years late: Itachi will be an 8-years-old genin! Just guess who his teammates will be ;)


	6. Itadakimasu

_So here we skip 2 years and our heros are 8 now ;)_

_They're finally Genin and doing real mission :D well more or less.._

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, only new invented characters belong to me_

* * *

**Itadakimasu!**

"Itadakimasu!" Sayuri divided her chopsticks and started to scarf the noodle soup down. Seishi watched her. "Are you sure you don't want anything, Seishi?" Ayame asked him now for the third time.

"No, thanks, I can't believe that she is actually able to even think about eating, after..."

"Oh, shut up! Can't you see that I'm trying to eat?"

"I can and like I said I can't believe it.." Seishi shook his head.

"When will you finally tell me what happened? And where's Itachi?" Ever since those two have appeared at the store with a look on their face like they've seen the most disgusting thing in the world, Ayame has been trying to make them telling her what. But she hasn't managed to get them so far yet.

"I said: I'm trying to eat!" Sayuri started to get upset. "Oh well.. Itachi, he's still fighting the Hokage" She said that as if it was nothing. Now Ayame pricked up her ears. "He's _fighting _the Hokage? Is he nuts?" The image of an eight-years-old boy fighting against an old man was too strange to imagine.

"No, it's not what you think.." Seishi tried to calm her down a bit, his eyes still on Sayuri with a disbelieving expression. "You know ever since we've become Genin one year ago, the Hokage dumped all the annoying missions on us. Trivia things like babysitting, catching cats, helping people in their garden and so on.. We've endured that shit every single day.. but that thing yesterday..", Sayuri gave him a warning gaze, half of the noodles hung out of her mouth, "well, anyway, that went too far. Enough is enough. We decided that we won't take any more D missions no matter what! But he doesn't seem to be that cooperative and now Itachi is arguing with him. After an hour or so Sayuri and I left because we didn't even get a word edgewise once. Am I right, Sayuri?" Sayuri made an agreeing sound while she kept stuffing the noodles into her mouth. Seishi sighed, than finally looked at Ayame.

"What do you expect? You're eight years old! He can't send you on some great missions." "This has nothing to do with age!" Sayuri finished her dish in record time and now she took part in the conversation. "My brother became Chuunin with six years and had far better missions than we have! And even if it's about age, that doesn't give the Hokage the right to treat us like that! That mission.. that went _faaar_ too far!" Seishi nooded in agreement.

A lot of things have happened during the last one and a half years. After the failed break into the Hokage's house the three "friends" firmly resolved to properly quit the last half year of school. Well, but that was easier said than done. After one week of boredom they discarded all the nice pledges and broke into the mansion a second time. This time it happened under Itachi's command and, who would have imagined it, they succeeded. And as the Hokage has been so friendly and had already told them the location of the Kage-bunshin no Jutsu, everyone of them managed to learn it and now is capable of using it. After that, they cheated themselves through school and finally became Genin. Yet that teamwork thing didn't work out that well. While Itachi didn't make himself popular with anyone and came constantly in violent fights with Seishi and bitchy arguments with Sayuri, latter tried to defend herself from.. yeah, you could call it sexual harassment.. by Seishi. He didn't give up on her even for a moment and tried to make her his girlfriend.. he made dubious comments, heaped compliments on her and it didn't happen rarely that his hand found itself on her ass. But even Sayuri's patience knew it's limits and she didn't hesitate to harshly make Seishi know his place. And like he has already mentioned, the missions they got weren't those you'd identify a Ninja with.

"Oh, come on! You're brother is an exception! And you should be grateful that you even get any missions! Without the Hokage you would still go to seed in the Academy!"

"How can you say that without even knowing what we've been through? Don't you think you're being a little bit self-righteous, Ayame?" The deep voice she knew so well went Ayame through and through. When she saw the black-haired boy entering the store her face went red and her character suddenly changed in the opposite. "I-Itachi" Welcome! Uhm.. I'm sorry! I.. I shouldn't.. I.. that has nothing to do with me.. I'm so sorry! Do you want to eat anything?" She forced herself a helpless smile. Seishi and Sayuri exchanged a suspicious look.

"Hell no! How is anybody supposed to eat something after that.." He recognized the empty bowl in front of Sayuri, sighed and rolled with eyes. "Why do I even ask?" He murmured to himself.

"So? What did the old man say? Did you come to any results?" Seishi didn't sound like he expected too much. Nobody really expected that the Hokage, who was like a hundred years old, let a little boy tell him how he should have his job done. Itachi sighed. He sighed a lot these days. Maybe because he didn't expect that when the Hokage said _they _would become Genin, he meant _all three of them _and that they would become a team. He didn't think about having to spend the whole day with those two loving birds, who were "only friends" yet "more than that". They differed about that, like they differed about nearly anything. The only thing they agreed on was that they hated Itachi from the depth of their hearts and that they had to do anything to give him a hard time. Though, when they needed someone to help them whenever they were in any kind of trouble, Itachi was good enough.

"_Dear _Itachi, I'm so sorry I seem to have forgotten my money.. but you'll pay the bill for me, will you?" "_Dear _Itachi, I'll have to go on a date.. but you'll manage to do the rest alone, don't you?" "_Dear_ Itachi, I'm short on money.. will you treat me to some ice cream/ramen/ sushi/dango/onigiri etc."

Well okay, where was the problem? All Itachi had to do was saying "NO". One little word, two letters. He tried it once against Seishi and listened to his whole life story and his unimaginable grief because of his parents until Itachi gave in. And the girl.. no matter how cold and stony his heart was, he hasn't manage yet to refuse this happy smile and those big, lovely eyes. No matter how false it was, no matter what she really thought while smiling at him, his lips simply couldn't form that little stupid word.

But that's another story, that's the story why Itachi is always broke.

Itachi didn't except to have to be in a team with them, he expected to be a Ninja and do awesome missions with other awesome Ninjas. How naive he's been.

The Hokage didn't only want him to bare those two idiots, he also wanted him, after he finally has managed to get rid of that old hag teasing him in the academy, to live under the orders of a new teacher. Who would have thought, that there were actually so many unbearable Jounin? One always wanted to talk with Sayuri about her brother, one thinking it would be training to peek in the women's bath, one who obviously hated children and always made fun of their age, and one, the perfect opposite of the other, wearing a strange suit kept talking about the "power of youths". They didn't get along with any of them until the Hokage decided that it was no use.

Since then he took their teacherlessness as excuse for sticking them to the under fringe of D-ranks.

"Itachi? Do you hear me? It's alright.. nobody will blame you for having failed." Seishi slowly lost his patience. Of course he would blame him. He would say, that if he had talked to the Hokage, he would be so impressed of his charm and genius and would succumb. Sure.

"Oh, actually, I was quite successful. We got a C-Rank mission." With those words he pulled a scroll out of his pocket. Absolutely. There was a big, fat C written on it. Sayuri's eyes widened.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!", she squealed hysterically and snapped the scroll. Then she wrapped her arms around it and burst theatrically into tears. "A C mission! That's the beautifulest day in my life!" Didn't that go a little bit too far? The Hokage would have been compelled to give them a C sooner or later.

"Give it to me! Let me read it!" Seishi was excited like a little child and bounced from one foot to the other. He somehow managed to free the scroll from Sayuri's clutch. Just when he tried to open it, Itachi took it back in his hands. "If someone reads it, it's me. I got it after all."

"Don't act up as you'd be the leader, damn Uchiha!" Seishi protested but Itachi had already opened the scroll. "I _am _the leader", he countered and let his eyes wander across the paper. Both Seishi and Sayuri were to excited to say anything against it. With big eyes they stared at him. "What is it?" "Read! Read it already! Loud!" Itachi didn't care. He reeled the scroll up again and looked at his teammates. "Well..", he said, "..seems like we have much to do." His teammates looked like they wanted to kill him. "TELL US!" Any patience knows its limits. For some reason Itachi liked it to discover them.

"Ok, listen. Since a few weeks little girls are disappearing from the surrounding villages. Some of them were already found in the forest.. naked. Our mission is to find the one who is doing this, arrest him and liberate the remaining girls. Any questions?" Seishi and Sayuri looked baffled at each other.

"So..", Seishi started, "our mission is to capture an old, pedophile bastard?" Itachi shrugged. "Seems so." Seishi's face remained unbelieving for a few seconds, then it suddenly changed. "That's sooo cool!" He grinned as broad as ever. "Well.. cool isn't what I would call it.. rather..", Sayuri thought about it, "_exciting!_" Did her eyes just change into stars? Itachi couldn't believe it. He shrugged again.

"Think what you want, we're heading out tomorrow morning, 8 o'clock at the main entrance. Don't be late!" "YES, sir!" They shouted. They were too excited to complain about Itachi acting as the boss. Next second they were gone, hopefully preparing for the mission. Just as Itachi turned to go as well, Ayame's father put his hand forth. "Sayuri hasn't paid, yet." Did Itachi's patience have any limits? He moaned something incomprehensible while paying and went home. Ayame shook her head. "Good thing I didn't become a Ninja"


	7. A mission fraught with difficulties

_Got a little excited last chapter? Ah I hope you did ._

_So this is the first real mission of Itachi and the others :D enjoy_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto_

* * *

**A mission fraught with difficulties**

"Where do you think you're going?" Kakashi watched his little sister skeptically as she stuffed tons of clothes into a giant bag. Sayuri turned around and smiled proudly. "A C-mission!"

Her ANBU brother, who just came from a S-Rank mission wasn't too impressed. "I see.. So where do you have to go? One time around the globe?" Sayuri continued to pack dress after dress. "Well.. no.. we have to find some criminal.. only a few miles away.." Another dress vanished in her bag. Kakashi shook his head. "A criminal? And how long do you think you're away? Finding a criminal takes you one or two days. If you mess up one week at the very most." She climbed on the cram-full bag and started to jump on it to make it easier to close. "I know!", she said.

Kakashi lifted his brow. "So why are you packing for 6 months?" "What do you mean? That's what I need for one week." She let her body fall on the at least 20 dresses inside the bag.

Eight years and she still managed to make him wonder. "Forget it!" He grabbed her arm and dragged her from the bag. "You're a Ninja, act like one." With this words he began to unpack the bag while Sayuri stared at him dumbfounded. "What do you think you're doing?" How did he dare?

He ignored her. "What kind of criminal?" She was shocked. Sometimes she couldn't believe her brother. "What the..? Why are you so interested all of a sudden? You didn't care for my missions for an entire year!" Kakashi stopped. "Oh sorry when I didn't want to know every detail of your babysitting experiences. I sure missed a lot." Evil eyes. The situation was close to getting out of hand.

"But now things have changed! W'll search for a pervert who kidnaps little girls. Hokage-sama entrusts us with the fate of those girls. Isn't that enough to prove that we are no longer used for the dirty work?"

Kakashi's look changed. He looked at his little sister. If he hadn't seen her right after her birth, he wouldn't believe that she was eight years old. She looked far older. Yet she was only a little girl. "Be careful, will you? Tell your two friends, that I'll kill them if anything happens to you." Sayuri rolled her eyes. Now she finally had a good mission and her brother was being overworried. "Don't worry, I'm strong enough to look after myself."

* * *

Same time on the other edge of the village.

Itachi laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling. What would he need for the mission? Were some Kunai and Shuriken enough? Maybe some money. He should have some just in case Sayuri got hungry. And she was always hungry, like a bottomless pit she ate and ate and didn't gain a pound. And if she put on weight it was because her breasts had grown. What was he thinking? If she was hungry she should buy something for herself. As if he allowed her to use him even for one more time. Well he needed money anyway, they had to sleep somewhere. And he had to eat something as well.

While he was lying in bed he thought through the mission. He planned every step they would make in advance, the other two wouldn't do so anyway. Just when he was working on a strategy how to take the pervert down best, he was interrupted by a well-known voice.

"Good evening, Itachi-chan! What are you doing?"That was the last thing he needed. His.. whatever, he was pretty proud of knowing his relation to his brother, anyway, Shisui from his Clan suddenly sat on his bed. "What..? How did you get in here?" Shisui smiled. "The window was open." That's what he always said. "It was NOT!" Itachi was quite sure that he had closed the window properly because he checked it several times only to prevent _this_ from happening. "You sure? Well.. then it's open now." A cold air draft ran through Itachi's room. Indeed, the window stood wide open. It seemed to be a hopeless act trying to keep Shisui out of sight. "How did you do that?" "Have you forgotten that I am Konoha's number one spy?" "You are NOT!" If he was, Itachi's father would have already rubbed his nose in it.

"Well, but I'll be soon!" Self-confident as ever. But with his abilities it wasn't even that improbably.

"I've heard you have a C-mission? After _only_ one year? Congratulations!" Oh come on, that ironic comment wouldn't have been necessary. Everyone knew that he was a Jounin and did one A mission after the other.

"Just wait, I'll catch up with you in no time!" Itachi sat up. "I see.." Shisui was sitting with his back to him. "Then.." He vanished and less than a second later Itachi felt arms wrapped around his neck from behind.. "..I definitely won't lose to you, Nii-chan", he whispered into his ear. "I'm not your brother." Itachi tried to free himself from Shisui's hug but it was useless. "But we're friends, are we not? So if you need any help, just call me, I'll always be there for you." He snorted derisively. "Guess I'll pass this time."

* * *

"Ready?" Itachi looked at his subordinates who actually weren't. With a heavy heart Sayuri had come to an agreement with her brother and took only one dress to change and the most important cosmetics with her in a small handbag. Who knew what Seishi was hiding in the large pockets covering his pants. However, if there weren't those headbands with Konoha's sign on it nobody would think they're serious Ninjas. Yeah, those headbands, Itachi would never forget the day they got them. The Hokage himself proudly gave them to his team when they passed the test and became Genin. When Sayuri had seen them, her face fell saying it wouldn't fit her style and claimed one in black. Even harder to believe was, that she actually got one and now she diverted it from its intended use as belt for her lolita dresses.

"Ok, first we're going to investigate. We'll interrogate the victims who have already been found, then we search our target and arrest him. Any problems with that?"

"Yeah! Who made you the leader?" They've been walking now for less than five minutes and Seishi already started to complain. "My grades. If you hadn't been so lazy, maybe yours would have been good enough to be a leader." Why was he still sticking to such old stories? Well, it couldn't be helped, Shisui had kept him awake the whole night and now he was groggy and huffy. "You're such a pain today! Where's your enthusiasm? It's our first proper mission. Where are we going first?" Sayuri was pretty hyper today, but in a kinda tense way. Itachi ignored her criticism and pointed in a direction. "A few miles away is the village with the first case." The moment he started his sentence Sayuri ran in the direction he showed her. "Hey! What's up? There's no need to hurry!", Seishi screamed after her puzzled. Maybe because she was so worried about the girls? Maybe because she identified herself with them and couldn't bear the idea of a pervert doing mischief with them? Maybe that was the reason she hurried to get them out of that hell as soon as possible? Not quite.

"I only have one other dress with me, I want to finish this before I go crazy!" She vanished in the trees. All Itachi and Seishi could do was sighing and following after her before she was out of sight.

The girl's eyes were dull and unfocused. She just stared perturbed on the ground. Her mother said, she's been like this ever since she was found in the woods. She had been such a good girl, always laughing and playing tricks, just what little girls do. But ever since she was kidnapped she was almost autistic, alienists have reached their limits. "Seems like we won't get any information from this one, either." Itachi looked annoyed at the child. Fifth girl, fifth failure. Fifth depressed mother, fifth dead loss, fifth time they didn't get any leads for their mission because the victims just won't talk. "Don't be so insensitive!" Fifth time he was scolded by Sayuri, fifth time she tried to comfort the girl and talk with her though she knew it was hopeless. The mother watched her with a worried expression in the face. Fifth time they were doubted for being capable of the situation and Sayuri was told, that she should be careful. "I SEE!" A voice came from the room next door. The girl's room. Fifth time Seishi came with tweezers in his hand. Fifth time.. ok, let's stop this.. anyway.. Seishi proudly presented his discovery to the others: A brown hair. His theory: As neither the girl nor her parents had brown hair, the hair had to belong to the criminal. Itachi's theory: As it was hard to believe that the criminal lost exactly one hair at every crime scene and it was still lying there easy to be found even though it's been some days since the crime took place, the hair belonged to Seishi and he was simply trying to get some attention. Either way, the hair was pretty useless because it didn't help much to know the hair color of the target, especially when it was such a usual one. The fact, that the children were kidnapped right in there bedrooms while they were sleeping has already been told them by the parents.

The whole thing was tougher than they thought. They wasted the whole day by going from village to village without getting any further. When they sun set, they decided to call it a day and went to a hotel. There they sat, depressed and unsatisfied. Sayuri got nervous, because she was pretty sure that the one dress she had wouldn't be enough. What was so wrong with wearing one dress for two days or maybe three?

"So let's see.. how about we mark the victims' houses and the places they've been found in a map? Maybe we'll find some connection?" The good thing was, that Sayuri seemed to think better when she was under strain. Seishi pulled a map of the surrounding area out and marked the places in chronological order. The outcome depressed the mood even more.

"Oh come on, why didn't we do this from the very start?", Seishi complained pissed. Itachi didn't feel any better. "That pervert is so simple-minded..", he couldn't believe that they were wasting a whole day with these useless little dolls, "he simply kidnapped them and when he was ready with whatever he wanted, he dumped them on the way to his next victim.." Sayuri shook her head. "You're talking about them as if they were things! They're human beings don't forget that!" Why didn't she suggest that map thing a little earlier? They could've been at home by now. "Ok.. if we act on Itachi's assumption, the criminal's hideout should be anywhere around there.." He drew a circle on the map.

"Fine, then let's do this tomorrow. I want to sleep now." Itachi had been tired the whole day.

It was time to direct the attention to another problem. Three people and two rooms. "No problem! Sayuri and me will share a room, right?" Seishi took advantage immediately. Before Sayuri could say anything about it, Itachi intervened. "I don't think you'd sleep even for a second if you were together in one room. I think we should keep it traditional, boys/ girls." What was he doing? He could have had a room for him alone. Seishi glared at him, Sayuri, on the other hand, looked thankful.

It's been a while since he regretted something that much like this. What's come over him when he decided to share a room with Seishi? Some people snored, some people talked while sleeping.. Seishi sang and lashed about. First, Itachi suspected that he was just doing this to annoy him, but then he realized that he was actually asleep. When he finally calmed down, he mistook Itachi for his stuffed animal and wrapped his arms around him. How come a eight years old boy was so strong? Itachi spent half the night trying to free himself and when he gave up at last, he had a hard time to fall asleep. In the end the night was over and he didn't get a wink of sleep.

"Ah.. I've slept so well!" Seishi stretched his arms carefree.. Itachi wanted to beat him to death. All he could think of was going home and sleeping in his own nice bed. This time he'll put a lock at the window. "Let's wake Sayuri up and get going..", he moaned and knocked on her door. No answer. Was she really still sleeping or in the bathroom? He knocked again. "Sayuri?" Again no answer. She seemed to be a sound sleeper. Itachi didn't want to wait any longer. He opened the door and went inside, but the bed was empty. Maybe she was really in the bathroom, but why hadn't she answered then? He went to her bed. It smelled like lilies. Seishi once told her that he liked her fragrance and asked her about the name. She said she didn't use any and that she was simply smelling like this since she was born. She was lying, wasn't she? Is it possible for a human being to smell like lilies just like that?

"Where is she?" Seishi leaned against the door. "Still in the bathroom, I guess", Itachi answered. In that moment he found something suspicious on the bed. "What the..? Did you sneak in here, last night?" How was that possible? He staid awake the whole night, how did he trick him? A Kagebunshin?

"What are you talking about? I didn't move from the spot the whole night!" That was a lie. Itachi had the evidence in the form of bruises covering his entire body. But he didn't seem to have been here according to his confused look. "So you want to tell me this isn't yours?" Itachi held a brown hair in Seishi's face. He looked assaulted. "How often do I have to tell you? THAT'S NOT MINE!" He hasn't forgotten Itachi's accusations from yesterday. Itachi got pale. Even paler than he was anyway, even paler than he has been because of two days no sleep. "But.. when it's not yours.. then... SHIT!"

Slowly Seishi's face changed, as well, while he realized what this little hair meant. It meant, that Sayuri wasn't in the bathroom, it meant, she wasn't in the hotel, it probably meant, she wasn't even in the village anymore. Impossible! Itachi ran to the bathroom door and ripped it open. Empty. It couldn't be.. she was a Ninja, she couldn't be kidnapped just like that. It couldn't be, that Itachi didn't notice anything although he was next door. "I'm asking the hotel staff.. maybe someone saw her.. maybe she's just.. on a walk or something.." Seishi's voice was weak. While he was frantically trying to make the staff remember, that Sayuri came by just a few moments ago, he imagined the girl he loved so much, the girl who was always so cheerful and happy, the girl whose smile melted ice being like those others, broken, quiet, with a dull gaze to the ground.

When he came back to his room, Itachi sat on a chair, his head held up by his hands. On the table sat a bird from Konoha. "They want a report.." Seishi lost stability, his knees gave in. Why? Why now? Couldn't they wait for a report until the mission was over? Until they had rescued Sayuri and he held her safe and sound in his arms? "I have to tell them.. I'll take responsibility.. I should have known this could happen.. I was reckless.. They'll send us back and call reinforcements.." Itachi couldn't imagine what was worse.. Sayuri's brother trying to kill them or Shisui's gleeful smile. Why didn't he let Seishi share a room with Sayuri? Then this wouldn't have happened and Itachi would have gotten his sleep.

"No! Don't even think about it! Just tell them.. everything is alright.. and that we'll have the bastard in no time!" Seishi was so desperate, his voice was hoarse.

"You're asking me to lie? You're asking me to forge a report? Do you have an idea what will happen to us if the Hokage gets to know it?" "I know..but I don't want to be sent back! I want to rescue Sayuri right now! You can't give up , just like that!" Seishi was right. If they gave in they'd be a shame for Konoha. They couldn't give in, not now. Itachi sighed and started to write on a paper. "Keep it a secret! You mustn't tell anybody!" Seishi nodded.

There was no time to lose. Two boys rushed through the trees as fast as they could, to the place marked on the map. The pedophile's hideout, the place he abducted little girls to and later left them in the forest, naked. He didn't rape them, he didn't hurt them, but he did something awful, which made his victims apathetic and unresponsive. "Wait!" Seishi stopped and jumped on the ground. Itachi couldn't see what he did thanks to his Byakugan, but he seemed to have found something, so he followed after him. Between weed and bushes was a naked body. The blond girl was not older than the boys and unconscious. Their faces turned slightly red when they saw her, though there wasn't much to see anyway. "That's the girl who vanished three days ago.. take her and bring her back to her house.. I'll go for Sayuri." Itachi averted his eyes, not because he was ashamed, but because he couldn't stand the cruelty that girl was treated with. Seishi protested. "And leaving you alone? Forget it. We'll do this together!" He hesitated one moment, then formed a figure with his fingers and created a perfect copy of himself. "You know, Kagebunshin only has a quite short range." "I know, but it'll be enough to get her to the next village" The copy took the girl's body and turned back, the boys headed forward.

"I found it, it's only a few hundred meters in that direction." Seishi nodded towards south-west. With every step they came closer, Itachi got angrier until it felt like the hatred would make his body burst into pieces. How dared he? How could he dare doing this to all those innocent girls? And, above all, how could he dare doing this to Sayuri? If she was hurt, if she was different than before, if he has touched even one hair on her head, he'd kill him.

There it was. Itachi and Seishi landed on the court of a big building which seemed to be an old slaughterhouse. What was a slaughterhouse doing in the middle of the forest? Maybe it was used illegally and had to be hidden. A door opened and an ugly, dirty and fat bum with brown hair appeared. He had a disgusting smile and the teeth he had left were something between green and dark brown. "Are you the asshole who kidnapped those girls?" Seishi shouted at him. He sounded as if he wanted to tear the man into pieces. He laughed despicably. "That's right! I'm sorry boys, but I'm only interested in girls! You're quite cute..though" This voice.. Itachi's stomach churned and he felt that the breakfast he skipped made his way back up. "GIVE SAYURI BACK!", Seishi shouted. His face was white and his eyes burnt with anger. "Sayuri? Ah, you mean this girl with the silver hair I got last night? She has such a nice body, I'll have a lot of fun with her!" He roared with laughter. Itachi couldn't believe it. This damn.. he'll kill him for sure. "Itachi..", Seishi's voice trembled as he tried to keep himself from going berserk, "I'll handle him, you go rescue Sayuri. I guess she's somewhere inside." That was the first time Seishi actually called him by his name. Itachi didn't like the idea of leaving the pervert to him.. he wanted to make mincemeat of him, but when he was already that mad, how mad would Seishi be then? The moment he nodded, Seishi lunged screaming at the ass.

It definitely was a former slaughterhouse. The corridor was lined with stables and the stench was still present. It wasn't surprising that the girls lost their sanity when they were kept inside here for some days together with that dirty old man. Hopefully it wasn't too late for Sayuri.

"SAYURI! Do you hear me?" Itachi kept calling for her, but he didn't get an answer. Finally he got the impression that he heard something. "Itachi? Is it you?" The voice was weak and hardly audible but it was unmistakably Sayuri's. It came from a locked stable at the end of the corridor. "Sayuri? Are you all right? Don't worry, I'll get you out there!" Itachi started to tinker with the lock. Did they have any lessons about opening locks? Did he skip those? That would be a situation he needed Shisui. "NO! Don't come in! I'm fine! I'll free myself somehow." Itachi was confused. Did he mishear something? "What are you talking about? Don't be stupid!" He looked around and searched for something like a key. "NO! I mean it. I.. don't want to be rescued by you! Go away!" Nothing.. Well, it couldn't be helped.

"What's that? False pride? As if I'd care. Watch out, I'll crush the door." With a skillful kick he reduced the decayed door to pieces.

He shouldn't have. He should have listened to Sayuri and let her handle things herself. It's been only a second, no, even less than a second, but it has been more than enough to engrave the image in his mind for eternity. He stared at the wall with a deep red face, knowing exactly what was behind him. Sayuri was sitting on the floor, her hands being tied up over her head. This was all to be expected, the only thing was.. she was naked.. stark naked.. and Itachi has seen like.. everything. And it hasn't been like before with the other girl in the forest. Sayuri might wasn't any older.. but she looked like that.

"S-sorry.. I d-didn't know.." Maybe this was making things even worse. Sayuri didn't say anything. "I-I'm really sorry.." What should he do? How should he get out of this situation? He started to take his shirt off. "W-what are you doing?" Sayuri asked him confused. Itachi threw his shirt back, where he thought Sayuri should sit. "Here.. wear this." That wouldn't be of any use.. but better than nothing.

"..I'd love to.. but.. I'm enchained just in case you forgot." Shit.. she got a point there.

"Then.. I'll go and get Seishi.. just wait!" That was a good idea. Fighting was more in his nature, anyway. "What? Are you crazy? Isn't it enough that you've seen me? Don't you dare!" Well, it's been worth a try. "So what should I do then?" Was it already too late to leave things to Sayuri? It was..

"..C-close your eyes.." She wasn't actually being serious? "So how should I unleash you when I close my eyes?" "You're a Ninja.. think of something!" Fine. Good thing to know that she was still the same. No matter how hard he thought about something he didn't come up with anything better. He closed his eyes and turned around. Sayuri gasped for air. Did she have any problem now? It's been her idea.

He slowly walked forward. Sayuri would lead him. _Stop, _she said, when Itachi was standing right in front of her. It wasn't necessary for her to tell him anyway. He could sense and smell her. His heart beat far too fast. "Ok.. now reach out.." Sayuri's voice shivered. Itachi did as he was told and grabbed for something that was in front of him. It felt as soft as silk. Sayuri's face. "Higher!", she squealed, her voice has gone about three octaves up. Itachi drew his hands back and reached higher. "S-sorry.." The frequency of his heartbeat sure was deadly. He felt his way, until he found something else which felt like silk. This time it was Sayuri's hand.. hopefully. He carefully opened one eye. Fine.. if he focused the rope her hands were enchained with, he didn't see anything else. His hands trembled but he somehow managed to open the knot.

Seishi already looked confused, when he saw Itachi leaving the house only wearing his pants. But when he saw Sayuri desperately trying to twitch his shirt accurately so it wouldn't reveal to much of her body, he was close to fainting. If she pulled it down, her breasts would jump out, if she pulled it up, it didn't cover as much as it should. She couldn't even think of turning around. Why couldn't Itachi be a just a little bit bigger?

The criminal laid on the ground and screamed. His legs were unnaturally twisted, Seishi seemed to have broken them in all his rage. He didn't appear to be seriously hurt apart from some bruises and scratches. Sayuri ran towards them, still trying to adjust the disadvantages of Itachi's shirt.

"WHERE ARE MY CLOTHES?", she shouted to the pitiful creature rolling on the floor. When he saw his prey, his eyes turned bright and he grinned once again his ugly smile. "Why do you want clothes? You're so beautiful without them! Get this off.." He reached his hand for her and grabbed her arm. Sayuri screamed in panic. That was enough. In this second of pure hatred and anger, Seishi took a Kunai and threw it right between the pervert's eyes. Blood splashed from the wound. He stopped moving. He was dead.

It got quiet on the old slaughterhouse. The three looked at the disgusting corpse with impassive faces. After a while, Sayuri went back into the building to search for her clothes, a few seconds later Seishi drew a cigarette out of his pocket, enlightened it and took a deep puff. "Since when do you smoke?" Itachi looked at his comrade, still with dull eyes. The mission was over and the target was dead. They failed. Seishi shrugged. "About three years.. I tried to stop several times but it was useless.. sorry, I've just committed my first murder, I need it now" A boy who was smoking since he's been five. Itachi's body still shivered slightly. Every time he closed his eyes, every time he blinked, he saw Sayuri's naked body in front of him. "It won't be your last", he said. "Give me one, too!" Would it help? Seishi was too dazed to be surprised. Without taking an eye from the corpse, he gave Itachi a cigarette and the lighter. "Since when do you smoke?", he asked. Itachi took a puff and coughed. "Since now" It tasted awful, but at least it calmed down. When Sayuri returned she wore her dress. It was dirty and all crumbled and she didn't wear it properly, just as good as she could in the short time, but at least she wore something. With a week "thanks" she returned the shirt to Itachi and looked at the cigarettes. "Want one, too?" Seishi offered her one. "Does it help?" She asked. "It's good for the shock." Sayuri hesitated, then took it and smoked along.

They stood there another few minutes, they've lost any sense for time. Seishi stared in the sky. It was blue, it would be a nice day. "You know what? There's one good thing to all of it.." The others looked at him dumbfounded. "Sayuri didn't need another dress.."

* * *

_Sorry if the end is strange and full of mistakes.. It's easter monday and I just had my fifth glass of wine.. it's a miracle I'm even able to writing this.. everything is soo.. NICE o.O_

_anyway I hope you liked this chap.. I know I skipped the fighting scene but I'm not good at such things.._

_REVIEW :D_


	8. Respite

_Hi everyone.. i know it's been a while but vacation is over and now I have at least one exam a week and can only write at the weekend.._

_well.. and now I have a chapter called "respite" because nothing happens at all.._

_I decided to shorten my chaps so I can update once a week.. but as I know myself that's utopic_

_maybe you realize that my english keeps getting worse.. take it as temporary frustration after the oral english exam^^_

_ok enough moaning.. enjoy and review :)_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, only new invented characters belong to me_

* * *

**Respite**

"It must be hard for you not to be able to talk with you're brother about it.." It was a nice afternoon and the restaurant was full of laughing and talking people. Young couples staring at each other and giggling without any specific reason, friends talking about their weeks and Ninjas making a break from their hard work. At table 3B a little child just spilled a glass of water, at table 5C a man pocketed a salt cellar when he was sure nobody was watching him, at table 1A a woman screamed hysterically because she found a hair in her soup and at table 4D sat a girl in a lolita dress and a black ribbon in her silver hair staring at her food without any appetite and the boy with long, brown hair accompanying her looked at her with worried eyes. "I'm sorry.. but we can't tell anyone what has happened.." Sayuri nodded. She knew that Itachi lied in the report and that they'd all have big problems if someone learned the truth. However, she wouldn't have told Kakashi anyway, he'd never let her go on a mission again. "You know, if you need someone to talk to, you can always come to me.. It's the least thing I can do.." Sayuri nodded again. It sure would make her feel better if she had someone to talk to. "I was so worried about you.. if something had happened to you.. he didn't.. you know.. I mean.. did he.." "Rape me?" Sayuri finished the sentence Seishi couldn't without taking her look from the meal. Seishi winced when he heard the word, but then he nodded. Sayuri shook her head. It took a load of his mind. The question bugging him ever since she wasn't to be found this morning was finally answered. After they've dealt with the pervert who kidnapped Sayuri and shut her all naked into a stable of an old slaughterhouse, they smoked their cigarettes and returned to the village without saying another word. While Seishi and Sayuri went to the Dango restaurant in Konoha, Itachi went to the Hokage, thinking of some fake report and explaining the death of the criminal they actually had to capture alive. If he thinks of himself as a leader, it's his job to do the nasty stuff as well.

"Don't you want to eat something?" Sayuri kept staring at the food. It looked delicious. Yet she shook her head. That has never happened before. She always used to have appetite, no matter what happened. She could eat tons and tons of stuff and never got enough. "Do you want anything else? Something to drink? Tea?" She shook her head again.

Seishi remembered the other victims they had interrogated. They've become so depressive and apathetic. Had they been too late? Would Sayuri now become like them? Or was she just still in shock?

"How could it happen, anyway? How was he able to get you?" Seishi was sticking to his guns. He would leave nothing undone. Finally Sayuri lifted her look from the food and looked at him. She looked horrible. Her face was pale and her eyes had lost their gloss.

"Can I talk with you? About.. _everything_?" Her voice was nothing more than a whisper. Seishi hesitated. What did she mean by _everything?_ There sure were things he shouldn't hear, but then he nodded. And so she told him, everything she could remember. She had been overwhelmed from behind when she left the bathroom, she had smelt something like chloroform and lost consciousness. When she woke up she had already been naked and enchained and the man stared at her and touched her.. this was when she broke into tears. But she kept talking, sobbing and gasping for air, her head pressed at Seishi's chest. And he listened to her, every word she said, even when he started to talk about Itachi and he fought with envy, he kept listening and wrapping his arms around her, fondly stroking her hair. When she stopped talking, she raised her head and looked at him.

"I hope.. it doesn't bother you.." She looked even worse. "Don't worry about me.:"

"But it must be hard for you, too.. That's been you're first murder, hasn't it?" She's been kidnapped and abused, nearly raped, yet she worried about him. Seishi thought about it. It has. And it sure wasn't meant to be the last. But then he shook his head. "It's not murder to kill somebody who doesn't deserve to live." It was true. If there was someone who didn't deserve to live, it was this piece of shit.

"That's good, that's what I should have told the Hokage." From one second to the other, Itachi sat there on the other side of the table. Either he just learned some new teleportation Jutsu or he sneaked in when the two were distracted.

Seishi glared at him. He's been so close to making Sayuri fall for him. She drew back from him a bit. Itachi tried to look at her but then his eyes focused the table. He still couldn't even think of her without remembering her being naked.

"Are you.. Are you all right?", he asked the table but actually he meant Sayuri. She tried to look at him, but she wasn't able to either, blushed and stared at Seishi's chest.

"Don't force yourself fake interest" The words hit Itachi like a slap in the face. "I have to go now." She said and stood up. When she turned to go, Seishi grabbed her arm. "Come to my house tomorrow. I'll show you something nice and comfort you, ok?" Sayuri smiled at him and nodded. Her smile was half honest, half fake, but it was more as you could expect after all that had happened.

"I didn't fake interest..", Itachi murmured slightly offended after Sayuri had left the restaurant. "Does this mean you are interested in her?" Seishi asked him with one lifted eyebrow. Of course, he always got the wrong idea. "No! I just want to know how she's doing. It's me, after all, who suffers from the consequences if she's not able to fight and messes up." Seishi rolled his eyes. It has been so obvious he would say that.

"You know, don't act as you'd only think about the missions. You have to practice your lying, you suck at it." He drew a cigarette out of a packet and started to smoke. While Itachi was watching him, he remembered the satisfaction it had given him this morning, he remembered how it made him calmer and slowed his heart beat after the not as planned retrieval of Sayuri. "Give me one, too.", he said to Seishi. He looked at Itachi, realizing what he has done. "You know, as your friend and dealer I have to tell you: Smoking is deadly! Are you really sure you want to start this?" Maybe he was right, but the fact that he was saying this by breathing out smoke and taking another puff didn't make him very authentic. Itachi cocked his head and lifted an eyebrow. Seishi narrowed his eyes. "Sorry, but there are things I have to compensate. It's not easy to live with your parents dead." That thing again.

"There are some things _I _have to compensate, too." Nearly 72 hours no sleep, endless arguments with the Hokage nearly every day, a father waiting at home surly to scold him and a little brother he was to babysit, not to forget the fact, that every time he wasn't distracted by anything, he thought about his naked teammate. Who pitied him? Nobody did. Because nobody knew. Maybe he should tell Shisui about his sorrow, just to make him pity him. Today evening, when he would come to ask him about his mission and talk about his, only to keep him up another night. This would make it 96 hours no sleep. How long would it take until he lost his mind? He was eight, others of his age would break into tears and have a childhood trauma for the rest of their lives. Seishi was reluctant to give him a butt, but he did and Itachi took it gratefully to make the drug lessen his problems. Other kids his age hadn't any cigarettes.

"Don't take personally what Sayuri said, she has some problems on her own she has to deal with." He made a pause and tapped casually on his cigarette so the ash would fall into the ash-tray. "Yours and hers are quite the same, actually." Did Sayuri sleep last night? Most likely not. But she didn't argue with the Hokage, her father was dead and her brother was older than her.. so.. oh.. he meant _that _thing.

"She told you?" That's all he could say. That's why Seishi acted so pissed. He nodded staid. Itachi took a deep puff. That's the last thing he wanted, talking about _that_. And that it was Seishi he talked with, made it even worse. Though he was nothing but a mere child, a smoking child which had already killed someone, his protective instinct was in high gear.

"You know, I'm really sorry about this and if I could, I'd make it undone. You have no idea how this bothers me." Maybe Seishi would have enjoyed it.

"Don't you think it's the same for Sayuri?"

"How can you compare this? It might be identical but it's not the same!"

"You stripped in front of her! That wouldn't be identical but it's the same!"

(**A/N:** _What I want to say: _Itachi is referring to the situation he saw Sayuri naked and she was seen naked by him, which is the _identical _incident but has a different meaning to each. Seishi is referring to the incidents, Itachi saw her naked and she saw him without his shirt, which isn't identical but more or less has the _same_ meaning for both. That's most likely not correct english.. but I don't know it any better^^)

_STRIP?! _He doesn't remember anything like stripping in front of Sayuri. He would never do something like that. Why did she say something like that? Why did she lie? Wait.. he actually _did _strip. No, you couldn't call it stripping.. he just took his shirt of..

"What?! What should I have done? She was naked, damn it!!" Too loud. Every single guest in the restaurant drew his attention to table 4D and stared confused at the boy, merely eight years old, who just said something which sounded like "naked". Itachi wanted the ground to swallow him up. At least the people soon decided that they were only imagining things and looked away. Seishi grinned gleefully. "Let's change the topic."This damn.. Itachi wanted to tear every single tooth out of his smile.

"What did the Hokage say?" Couldn't there be any better topic than that? Itachi sighed. "What would he say? He completely freaked and shouted at me.. that we have nothing but stray in our heads and how we could fail in such an easy mission.. blah blah blah. He said something about an ultimate punishment.." "Ultimate punishment? What's that supposed to mean?" Itachi shrugged. He had no idea. And he didn't really care right now.

"What do you plan to show Sayuri?" Itachi didn't know why he just asked that. Maybe this whole day was so shitty, not even Seishi's plans to make Sayuri his girlfriend could make it worse. And better he heard it now than tomorrow when there was a slight chance that he was in a better mood. Seishi smiled again his mischievous smile. "Why do you want to know that?" Itachi shrugged once again. "Isn't it my duty as teamleader to make sure that some sex-mad doesn't take advantage of the bad psychical situation of my subordinate?" Seishi's smile faded and turned to some dumb looking expression.

"That's what you think of me?! You know I'm only eight.." "Biologically" That hit the spot. Seishi knew that Itachi was right. As if he had never thought about it. "You know, I might be an asshole, but not such a big one as you think I am.." Itachi wasn't really convinced. There was a girl in the corner of the restaurant, sitting there with her family and constantly glaring at them. Itachi was pretty sure she has been in his class last year. And that meant she has had some experience with Seishi's asshole potential. "Are you sure about that?" Seishi looked as if he was seriously thinking about it. Then he shook his head. "I really just want to make her feel better.. Why don't you come, too, if you don't trust me?" His face was straight, he seemed to be serious. Maybe he was just bluffing. "Well, ok, I will." Why? WHY?! Why was he doing this to himself? He had to have some masochistic streak he wasn't aware of yet.

Seishi tried hard not to let on anything, but you could see his disappointment. Though Itachi couldn't really enjoy it. He could have spent the whole day sleeping, now he would watch Seishi and Sayuri flirting, Very well done.

* * *

_See? Just like i said.. nothing happens.. _

_But what does the Hokage mean with "ultimate punishment"? What will happen at Seishi's house? And will Itachi ever be able to sleep again?!_

_Review and look forward to the next chapter!_

_Jikai: *Sorry, No title available yet*_


	9. Ultimate Punishment

_hey everyone.. I know it's been more than one week sorry ^^'_

_but.. like always.. I've been so busy_

_I've got questions!! Yay! thx BONED_

_1. When will Itachi get his Sharingan?_

_- well as much as I know he got it when he was eight, didn't he? So.. soon^^ and just in case this answer isn't enough: next chap xD no.. I actually plan to have it next chap but as far as I know myself it will take me at least two._

_2. Will he be ordered to kill his clan off?_

_- I guess, you all have read/watched Naruto and like it? So it wouldn't be spoiling if I say: YES! If I ever get this far^^ I mean.. they're still eight.. still a long way to go.._

_ok back to the main story.. this chap is kinda.. strange.. pls don't be too freaked out_

_I had some funny days.. so I'm not able to think normal.. anyway enjoy 3_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.. and so on_

**Ultimate Punishment**

Seishi felt sorry for Sayuri's untouched meal and so, even though it was already cold, he forced it down. He has had neither appetite nor hunger, but his stomach was empty and his throat dry and itchy because of the smoke. Itachi watched him silently. How should he ever again look Sayuri in her eyes? How should he work with her if he couldn't get this picture out of his head? While he got lost in his thoughts Seishi gave in. His stomach churned and his face went snow-white. That would be the moment you asked him if he was all right, but Itachi didn't feel like it. "My, my, you look like shit." What? Itachi didn't say that. The one who seemed to have said it, was suddenly sitting next to Seishi and carefully sorted the meat pieces out of the abandoned food. (**A/N:** What are they eating anyway? Their supposed to be in a Dango restaurant after all.. well.. anyway..)

He had brown hair with a few gray streaks and wore a very, very, VERY ugly cardigan. On first sight he looked like some bum from the street. A vegetarian one. "Hey you! Fuck off!" What was he thinking he was doing?! The man ignored him and continued. "Leave him be.. this way we don't have to throw it away.." Seishi didn't seem to be in the shape to argue now. "Hooray! Listen to what Seishi says!" Itachi stared at him dumbfounded. So that's what it was. Seishi had to get his stuff from somewhere.. but that he associated with such people.. he wouldn't have thought that. Was it brave? Or only very stupid? However, something was wrong here: Seishi had the very same expression in his face, as he did. As if he didn't know him either. They exchanged a glance. No. None of them knew that guy. But how did he knew them?

"Who are you?" Itachi finally asked him. The man looked up, food hang out of his mouth. He gorged it and jumped up, stood there with his hands on his hips like he was some kind of superman. "How impolite of me! I forgot to introduce myself! I am.." He didn't say anything. No, he showed them. With very suspicious movements he started to unbutton his cardigan. Watching him Itachi felt like pointing out that _that's _what you call stripping, but he was absolutely speechless. When he was finished, he stood there with his head held high and his chest swollen with pride. With his hands he held the cardigan so you could see his shirt. Or better, what was written on the shirt. The shirt said "YOUR NEW TEACHER". "You can call me G!" he said solemnly. That's gotta be a joke. A damn bad joke. A _fucking _bad joke. Itachi and Seishi stared at their teacher with big, aghast eyes. "We're gonna have a lot of fun! Isn't that supii? (= strange way to say super)" The two boys didn't think so. They were asking themselves when they've fallen asleep and when they would finally wake up.

"Oh come on! Where's you enthusiasm? All together now: Hooray!" Itachi and Seishi exchanged another glance. There was no confusion in their eyes, no insecurity. They knew that this was no nightmare, this was real. And they knew they were thinking the very same thing: Ultimate punishment!

**(A/N:** _Allow me to introduce my German teacher. You might think now: WTF?! What's up with that girl's imagination?? That's sick! But no. This has nothing to do with imagination. That's the shocking but true reality. Such people actually exist! And they're teaching! Everything, from the clothing over the stripping up to the vocabulary is real. Even the point with the vegetarian. That's my German teacher and he might is one of the best teachers I ever had. Seriously.__**)**_

Itachi knew that the Hokage had been very angry, but that he had been _that_ angry, that someone could actually be so cruel, who would have thought that?! Their teacher smiled broadly. Itachi's and Seishi's laughing mood had been wiped out once and for all. Sayuri wouldn't survive that. Another psychopath. That was sure to be too much for her. They didn't know, that this wasn't meant to be all, though. Because it's only natural, that every time you think it can't become worse, it does.

"G!!!!" A male voice ran through the restaurant and a flash hit "G!" from the side and knocked him over. There they were lying, two mature man, one the floor. "There you are! I've searched for you like everywhere!" Another one with red brown hair and beard had his arms wrapped around the new teacher's neck. Even when G! tried to stand up again, he didn't make any attempt to let him go. "E!! HII" The two men hugged each other and laughed. E!? Now this was going to become interesting..

"I've just made friends with our new students!" OUR?! "Oh, such cuute little boys. We will have a lot of fun!!", E! said, and he seemed to be serious. "Yeah! They're such nice children!"

"A!!! Come on! We found them!!" A third one. A man with black, long, curly hair sticking out in all directions came through the door. He wore glasses and a long scarf and grinned like he's just smoked something good. Maybe they should ask him what and if they could have it . They needed it, more like ever before. This was becoming more and more absurd.

"Oh.. look at those kids! They seem quite confused..", G! detected. "Oh, of course! They don't even know who we are.. we have to introduce ourselves properly!" No, no please not! Not another introduction! Itachi lost confidence in the "Ultimate punishment" thing, this was simply going to far. He started to draw hope again that this was a dream and he would soon wake up. He gave Seishi a helpless look. He didn't look any better. The teachers brought themselves into position.

"Hey guys! We are your new teachers! My name is G!!" "My name is A!!", the curly head said. "And I am E!!", the last one said with a movement neither Itachi nor Seishi had ever seen before.. not on a man. "_E!?_", Itachi asked, "shouldn't it be _Y!?_" 3 – 2 – 1. Seishi burst out laughing. "Itachi! You're genius!" He laughed so hard that he nearly lost balance and had to hold up to Itachi's shoulder. The teachers needed more time. Then A! started to laugh, too. His comrades looked dumbfounded. "Ah, that boy! He said.. one moment.. he meant.. HEEY!" A!'s face suddenly changed. Now six angry eyes glared at them. "I have a girlfriend!", G! proclaimed. "Me, too!!", the other two yelled in unison. Itachi continued determined. Now that he started, nothing could stop him that easily. "And you're sure that those _girlfriends _are actually female?" Three lower jaws flapped open. They didn't seem to be used to someone talking to them like that. Especially when the person was their student. Seishi rolled about with laughter. He even had to grab Itachi's shoulder with his second hand and pressed his forehead against his arm, desperately trying to calm down. But it was useless, his whole body quivered. In this case, his stomach wouldn't bear up long. A! made an unfortunate attempt to change the topic. "Well.. speaking of girls.. shouldn't there be one among you?" Sayuri. "Yeah, but she's not here now.." Seishi's breath slowed down, A! nodded without a word. The situation seemed to be solved.. but then: "We speak of girls??", E! suddenly started, "there comes something to my mind! You know why men don't get any cellulite?" Oh no.. this wouldn't become some bad, sexist joke, would it? "Because it looks shitty!" Oh yes, it would. A gay sexist. Sayuri will be thrilled.

Seishi got a third laughing fit. Along with the three men. Perfect. A match made in heaven. Now this really will be fun. Itachi didn't even feel sorry for Seishi, when his tarnished stomach gave in after all his mood swings and he fought his way through the restaurant towards the bathroom.

**(A/N: **_Now it's complete.. our Trio. At my school they are the best friends. E! Is my geographic teacher and A! Is french teacher, but I don't have him. They all teach English as second subject, btw. What I want to say is.. those three are inseparable and everyone of them is crazy in his own way. It's amazing how strange and senseless our lessons are, for example today in german.. G! Came in and the first __thing he said was: Which number do I have to call to get some pizza delivered here? Then we talked about pizza services.. after a while nobody listened anymore and everyone started talking. Then he said: Attention please! I'm trying to explain how I drive to school! but the strangest thing is.. when you go home you feel like you're smarter. You've learned something. Other teachers are strict and straightforward, but their lessons are simply useless. I'm quite sure you know what I mean.. And yes, E! Is really sexist and sometimes I'm not sure about his sexuality..)_

Walking through the streets of the Hyuuga hood was for an Uchiha like being a criminal sentenced to death going his way to the scaffold. Everywhere people on the street stopped in whatever they were doing and pierced Itachi's body with their mad, white eyes and glares. There has always been a certain rivalry between Konoha's two greatest clans, but you never really felt it until you crossed the line. The enemy in the own territory. Itachi was pretty sure that his family wouldn't react any different if Seishi visited him.

Itachi sighed relieved when he finally reached Seishi's house. What did he bring onto himself? He was really masochistic. As he thought, Shisui had come for the night and talked to him until the sun rose. Then his mother came and asked him, if he could look after Sasuke just while she was gone for shopping. Sasuke was a pain. He always wanted to play with him. Usually Itachi found his brother cute, somehow, and liked it when he smiled at him. He even got a bad conscience when he had no time for him and he pulled a face. But not when Itachi couldn't remember the last time he had slept. He didn't sleep last night, not the night before that and also not the night before that night. Did he sleep the night before that? He really couldn't remember.. (**A/N:** I can't either.. anyway, somebody can tell me how many ages Sasuke is younger than Itachi? I keep getting confused about it -.-)

Now he stood in front of the door and asked himself if it was really smart to open it. Wouldn't it be better to go home and take a nap? Thinking about his nice, warm, soft bed, he already turned around and was to leave. But then he heard a sound from inside. He pressed his ear to the door. The neighbors were watching him suspiciously. Someone was playing the piano inside. It seemed to be a very complex melody, both fast and slow, with deep and high notes. Itachi wanted to listen to it for some time, only to figure out who was playing there, but then one of Seishi's relatives, an old woman, took the broom she had been sweeping with and walked towards him with an angry looking face. Now Itachi had a problem. He could have run away, but instinctively he ripped the door open and bursted into the house. There he stood, in Seishi's more or less cleaned living room. Outside he heard the woman cursing. "Just come out, damn Uchiha!!" Shit.. he had to wait until she was gone. The piano sound was clearer now and sounded really beautiful. Has it been that, what Seishi wanted to show Sayuri? Was he the one playing? When did he learn that? And he thought he knew him.

"I guess that was Itachi right now, don't you want to come for him?" Seishi seemed to have heard the door closing. Maybe he was talking to Sayuri. There was no answer, but then Seishi sighed. "Come in, Itachi, we're here." The voice came from a door, Itachi wasn't sure where it lead to. He had been in Seishi's house once, but not for long. So what did Sayuri do? Shake her head? What was wrong with her? She wasn't still mad about yesterday, was she? Itachi wasn't able to sleep on it, but he was pretty sure he could face Sayuri without any problems.

Well, how wrong can someone actually be? He opened the door full of self-confidence, but the moment he saw Sayuri sitting next to Seishi in front of the piano, he remembered that no matter what she was wearing, he knew how she looked like without it. So his face went red in an instant. Just like Sayuri blushed when she saw him. Itachi could barely force himself a "hi" and Sayuri grabbed Seishi's arm and stared at him. Seishi shook his head but continued playing. Itachi didn't know what to do or where to go, so he just kept leaning against the door case.

Though Seishi did his best to calm everyone down with his music, the atmosphere was tense. Every time Itachi got a glimpse of Sayuri, his heart beat faster and her feelings became worse every time she felt his gaze pierce her back. Then she tightened her grasp around Seishi's arm and buried her face in his shoulder. After few minutes, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Your playing is wonderful, Seishi, you're really a genius.. but I have to go to the bathroom now, sorry." Seishi nodded and she stood up, passing Itachi without looking at him. It was hard to tell who had a harder time. As soon as she closed the door behind her, the playing stopped and Itachi stared at the floor. He felt miserable and Seishi's importunate glares didn't make it any better. "You know, this has to stop! You two are making me sick.. Why can't you pull yourself together and get over it? You're acting like idiots!" Itachi shrugged. What should he say about this? He knew Seishi was right, but it couldn't be helped. Now Seishi stood in front of him. "Did you hear me?!" He shouted at him. What was he so angry about. This had nothing to do with him! "I know..", Itachi moaned. "You know?! Fine! Then do something about it! You're Ninjas, damn it! You have missions to do! There's no way you can go on with those.. feelings!" _Feelings_ wasn't the right word and Seishi hasn't really liked to say it.. it sounded like they were in love or something. But that wasn't true.. it had nothing to do with.. _feelings_. Itachi didn't even know how to call that thing ruining his cohesiveness.

"And what? If there was anything I could do about it, I would have done it!! What should I do, according to your opinion?!" Now wasn't it bad enough, that Itachi and Sayuri couldn't look at each other? Did Itachi and Seishi now have to start fighting, too?

Silence. Neither of the two boys knew what to say. After they glared at each other for half a minute, Seishi found his voice again. "Ok, listen! I have an idea. But to make it work, you have to do _exactly _what I'm telling you to do. Did you get that?" Itachi hesitated, but then he nodded. What did he have to lose? "Sayuri will thank you for rescuing her, even if she doesn't want to.."

"How come you know that?!", Itachi was confused. Could he do fortunetelling, too?

"She told me, idiot!" Oh well, that made sense. "And when she does.." Seishi stopped and looked right and left as if he thought someone could watch them. Then he moved his face closer to Itachi's and whispered something in his ear. Itachi pulled a face.

"Oh no! There's no way I'd do that!"

"But it's the only way!!"

He shook his head. "How is this supposed to help?!"

"Just trust me!!" "Hell no! I won't!" "Yes, you will!" They could have gone on like this for ages if the door hadn't opened again. Sayuri peeked into the room, obviously not brave enough to enter. Seishi looked at her encouraging. She took a deep breathe and came in. Her face was bright red. She grabbed Seishi's arm again and stared at him frightened. He nodded. Sayuri gasped. She was pretty nervous. Then, finally, Sayuri drew her attention to Itachi for the first time in ages. He knew what awaited him and it didn't really put him at ease. "E-ehm.. I-Itachi...?" "Y-yeah?" They knew each other now for two entire years and weren't even able to talk to each other properly. There eyes locked for a moment but then they both stared at the wall. Itachi felt his pulse quicken. "I-I just wanted.. to thank you.. you know.. for rescuing me.. a-and everything.." It was like a clip repeating over and over again in his head. The naked body, the silky skin, her soft face. It had to stop.. otherwise. Behind Sayuri stood Seishi. He gave him a warning look. Now or never. His only chance. It was so ridiculous that it maybe could even work. "S-sure.. it's.. no big deal." Now Itachi started to stutter, too.

"I-If you want anything.. j-just tell me.. I-I'll do anything to thank you." Everything fitted. It was like the script of a very bad movie and it was his turn. Why did he get this feeling that all this was Seishi's doing from the very start? What should he say now?

_"Well then.. would you mind if.." No. "Is it okay for me to.." No. "Could I.. by any chance.." Fucking No! Seishi's face was so obvious. It said: Shut up and do it already! Fine. Maybe for him it was no big deal.. but.. Sayuri waited for an answer. She was even more nervous than before. Just what did she expect him to say?_

Suddenly the scales fell from his eyes. Of course! This actually _was _a bad movie and Seishi had written the script. He had planned everything beforehand. Sayuri knew what Itachi was going to do, Seishi had told her before he had even told him. And the fact that she was still standing there meant, that she was fine with it.. well, more or less.

Now what? Itachi was supposed to be a great warrior and he wasn't even able to do this? That's the worst. He worked up the courage and stepped up to Sayuri. She flinched, but didn't do anything to stop him. Who knew, how he got himself in this situation? He wrapped his arms around Sayuri's neck and pressed her body to his. If this hadn't been planned by Seishi all along, she would have screamed now and pushed him away. But she didn't. She returned his hug, hesitant, but her trembling hands found their way on his back.

Her hair was so soft and he could feel her breasts touching his chest. The fragrance of lilies was as intense as never before. It was so wrong, but felt so right, this strange feeling as if he knew this situation. As if he had held her this way before, long ago. Déjà vu. But why? He couldn't remember anything like that.

The silence was broken by an impatient sound far, far away. Seishi demonstratively cleared his throat to show his two friends their limits. Itachi startled. Just how long have they been holding each other?! He let Sayuri go and stepped back. "S-sorry.. I guess I got carried away.." This was is. It was just too embarrassing. Itachi looked at Sayuri to find out what she was thinking. She just shook her head to show him that it was all right. They kept looking at each other for a while until Itachi realized, that he didn't think about her body, he didn't even blush. She didn't either. Seishi grinned.

"Didn't I tell you? I call it: Direct confrontation." He was right. It did work. Neither Itachi nor Sayuri knew how, but they were cured. Sayuri smiled in relief and Itachi couldn't deny himself to return it. Then they both started to laugh when they realized how stupid and childish they've been. Getting all worked up because such a silly, little coincidence.

They didn't stop laughing until Seishi started playing the piano again. He was really a genius in everything he did. But Itachi wasn't able to be jealous, not when he sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, with Sayuri sitting next to him. As if nothing had ever happened. No, you could even say their relationship was better than ever before.

The melody became slower and calmer and soon it slowly died away. Itachi's body became heavier with every note. When did he sleep the last time? The room went dark, the music stopped.

When Seishi finished and looked at his teammates, he tried hard not to burst out laughing. Sayuri looked confused. She stared at Itachi, then looked at Seishi. "Should we wake him up?", she whispered. Seishi smiled and shook his head. "Leave him be. When Itachi allows himself some sleep, he deserves it."

* * *

_Yeah.. really strange chap.. well hope you liked it ;)_

_Pls review.. what's stranger: my teachers or Itachi laughing?_

_I like the ends of my chaps.. they're kinda epic ;P_

_The three heros have finally solved there problems! But will they get along with their new teachers? Will Sayuri be able to assert herself among all those men? And will they get a new, exciting mission?! Make sure to read the next chap!!_


	10. Mission and Misunderstandings

_Didn't I want to shorten my chapters and release once a week?_

_I wonder why it doesn't work.._

_I also wonder why it doesn't work keeping this from becoming a yaoi.._

_Somehow nothing works as I want it too.._

_still no sharingan.. hmm.. next chap for sure!_

_enjoy, review, subscribe,etc. ;)_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto_

* * *

**Mission and Misunderstandings**

"I'm home!" Itachi opened the door and entered his house. Before he was able to close the door behind him, his mother was already running towards him. She grabbed her son and wrapped her arms around him, so he had to pant for air. "You're back! Finally! I was so worried! Where have you been?" Itachi's mother was extremely hysterically and broke into tears. She looked as if she hadn't slept for a single second last night. "Mum, calm down.. I've told you that I would be with the others to.. talk about our next mission.. didn't I?" His mother sobbed. "But that's been yesterday! That's been nearly 24 hours ago! I thought something happened.. I thought.." "Mum.. sorry.. It overran it's time and then it was so late that I stayed at Seishi's house.. I know I should have told you, but.."

Terrifying how easy it was for him to lie to his mother. Of course, he could tell her the truth. He could tell her that he fell asleep in the middle of the day and didn't wake up until 15 minutes ago. He had found himself on Seishi's coach in his living room and had been wakened by his ironic smile and the words "Good morning, sweetheart!" When Itachi had told him to fuck off and let him sleep, Seishi had kindly pointed out that he was in _his _house on _his _couch and it was already 2pm. "I'd love to let you sleep even longer, but we meet our teachers in an hour and I thought you might would want to take a shower before that." Seishi could be quite nice from time to time.

"I was worried sick! This boy you're with.. this.. Seishi.. Did he do something to you? I heard lots of stuff about him.. that there's no girl in Konoha he hasn't played with yet! What if.. if he now is focused on boys.. did he touch you? You know, you have to tell me!"

What? It was true that Seishi most likely wasn't the very best company, but that went to far. As if he.. no this was ridiculous. His mother was paranoid. "Mum, I'm fine!" "Are you sure? Are you sure he didn't do anything to you while you were sleeping?" "Pretty.." It would explain Seishi's friendliness this morning. But it was more probable that he had been making fun of him than the possibility that he had done some mischief to him. At least that's what Itachi was hoping.

"Mum, It's alright, really! Don't worry! And now I have to hurry, I have to go in half an hour." With those words he freed himself from his mother's hug and went straight to the bathroom. She sighed something like "They grow up so fast.." when Itachi left her behind.

* * *

As expected, Itachi was the last one to appear at the arranged meeting. Everyone else was already waiting for him at the place which seemed to have turned out as their personal meeting point: The Dango restaurant. And it seemed as if Sayuri had already made the acquaintance of the three new teachers. She stared at them dumbfounded and didn't know what to say, not to mention to think.

And though, all she knew yet was that those men were really strange, she had no idea, that they had some sexist veins, too. Or at least one of them. "E!"'s eyes laid on the only girl among them and were filled with prejudices and bad thoughts.

"You know, looking at you I remember some very funny jokes." "I see..", Sayuri really was speechless. She didn't even realize what was waiting for her. "Why can't women be pretty and bright at the same time? Because otherwise they'd be men!" Three men who called themselves adults roared with laughter and even Seishi had a very hard time to hold himself back. Itachi sighed and Sayuri, who wasn't sure if she had just been called ugly or dumb, looked even more confused. But as the laughter faded, her face changed and became furious. As Itachi was waiting for her to go berserk and kill her new teachers, something unpredictable happened – Sayuri countered: "What's the difference between a man and a Q? There's none: Both are zeros with weenie!" Silence. Everyone looked at her with big eyes. Sayuri smiled proudly. She didn't know that she just declared war.

"Why did god steal a rib from Adam and made the woman? Because he wanted to show that nothing good ever comes of burglary." In other circumstances this would might have been funny. But now it was only becoming ridiculous.

"Whereof dies the intelligent thought of a man? - Of loneliness." Now what? Will this go on forever? Someone had to stop them. Both were filled with anger and became more frantic with every passing minute. Even the funny, easy E! had his limits. He was about to cross the line.

"What's the difference between a woman and a hippo? - One has a big mouth and a fat ass, the other one lives in the water." Yup, just as predicted. Enough was enough. Everyone knew his limits and Sayuri had reached hers. "YOU DAMN!" She raised her fist. If Itachi and Seishi hadn't grabbed her, she would have done god-knew-what to the sensei. "LET ME GO!", she screamed. Though the boys were two and stronger than her, it wasn't easy for them to hold her back. What perfect preconditions for a good collaboration.

"Gee, E!, you went to far..", A! shook his head. "Yeah.. if your girlfriend gets to hear this joke.. that's not nice..", G! nodded. E!' s expression changed. He seemed to think about what his friends had told him. "You think so?" Sayuri was still frantically trying to free herself from the boys, but E! didn't look like he'd give a damn. His two friends nodded vehemently. "Maybe you're right.." He looked at Sayuri. She bared her teeth and glared at him as if she wanted to tear him into pieces. E! smiled at her and said "Sorry". That was it. He dared to insult her like that and then even had the impertinence to smile as if nothing had happened. In this cases women had the unbelievable potential to develop amazing abilities. With an unexpected move she managed to get away from Itachi and Seishi and ran right towards the teacher.

Before she even was able to land a single hit, four other arms held her. A! And G!, who have just stood behind E!, now were preventing Sayuri from doing anything inappropriate. Itachi and Seishi looked at them confused. What happened? They didn't even realize when they started to move. Three serious faces looked at Sayuri. "Little girl, he apologized, didn't he?", A! suddenly looked kind of scary with his Afro. "There's one thing you should never forget : The three of us are all Jonin." This face really didn't suit the childish, crazy G!. Sayuri didn't say anything anymore. She didn't even try to free herself. She was just as shocked as everyone else.

After a few more seconds of awkward silence, E! finally changed the topic. "To the reason why you're here: You – or better we - are having a new mission" He pulled a scroll out of his pocket with a big C on it. "It's a little bit more difficult than your last, but with us it should be alright. All you have to do is to protect a village not far from here. They got a message from some bandits which said that they were going to be attacked. So when those bandits come, it's your job to make sure nobody gets hurt. Defeat and arrest the bandits. _Arrest _not _kill_! Did you get that?" The boys nodded daunted. Sayuri didn't do anything. Bandits weren't too strong, nothing against real Ninjas. That was going to be no problem.

"Everyone of us..", he nodded towards his two mates, who were still holding Sayuri, "could do this all alone, so there's no need to worry. Though there's a rub in it. The three of us are having another mission and are only able to catch up with you later. You'll have to wait for us until tomorrow. All we can do is hoping that there won't be an attack up until then. And if there is.. Well.. Bad Luck!" None of the three knew what to say. "You'll head out this evening so hurry and prepare! And you.." He walked towards Sayuri so he was standing right in front of her and looked deep in her hateful eyes. "You learn how to treat higher-ups, honey." With those words he forced the scroll between Sayuri's teeth so she couldn't answer anything. When she spitted it out, she wanted to shout at him, but before the scroll hit the ground, the adults were already gone.

* * *

Sayuri had been quiet the whole way to the village. She apologized for behaving so badly and Seishi told her that it was alright, that it has been his own fault and that he was a bloody asshole for treating her like that. Yet she just nodded at didn't say anything anymore, she just stared at the ground and looked depressed. Shortly before they reached their destination, Sayuri suddenly stopped. Itachi and Seishi looked at her. She went red and stared at her hands which played with one of the ribbons on her lolita dress. It seemed like something was bothering her. "Can I ask you something...?" Her face blushed even more. "Sure.." Seishi looked not very confident.

"Do you think I'm.. ugly or stupid?" This had to be another bad joke, but Sayuri's face was serious. Neither Seishi nor Itachi could believe what she just had said. "Please say you're kidding.. you don't actually believe in that crap.. this was a joke, Sayuri-chan!" Their eyes locked. "Honestly?" The scene reminded Itachi of the day, when Sasuke accidentally overheard a conversation and his mother desperately tried to tell him, that Santa _did_ exist.

"Believe me, Sayuri-chan, you're the beautifulest and smartest girl I've ever met." With this words Sayuri was satisfied with the answer and her smile returned. It really was just like lying to a little child.

Not surprisingly, the Ninjas were greeted in the village with great suspiciousness. They were to be attacked and Konoha send them some children. "This has to be some kind of misunderstanding.. when we said we needed help, we were expecting.." The mayor looked the three hopes of his people sceptically over. Just how old were they? Maybe eight..

"Don't judge us according to our appearance. We're strong." Itachi was pissed. And the fact, that the man didn't calm down until he was told, that the teachers would come later, annoyed Sayuri and Seishi as well. "Why would someone attack this shithole, anyway? You can't get anything from here!" Seishi looked around. It appeared to be just a usual, peaceful place. "Don't judge our village according to its appearance!" Now everyone was angry. "So what's so great here?" Sayuri felt as if she had to say something as well. "I'll show you."

The Ninjas deeply resolved NOT to be impressed whatever it was, but the truth exceeded their expectations by far. The mayor led them to his house. It looked like all the other ones from the outside, but beneath it, in the basement was a big, dark room. It was empty apart from a huge, black chest in the middle. The three were flabbergasted,but they hadn't even seen everything. "It's been passed down in our family for generations. It's useless for me, though.." He opened the box and the friends were stunned. "They.. They are beautiful! That's the beautifulest thing I've ever seen! I'm so happy!" Sayuri's face was soaked with tears as they stared at content of the chest. The two, nearly 5 feet long double-bladed Kunai were shining white as snow. They definitely were beautiful. They were amazing. Four blades looking so sharp as if there was nothing they couldn't cut and their proportions to the middle part were simply perfectly harmonic. You could fight about it being a weapon or art. "Oh my gosh..", Sayuri was hypnotized. She reached out to touch the Kunais, but the mayor shouted at her. "Don't you dare touching them with your dirty fingers!" Sayuri flinched and looked disappointed.

"But those are Ninja weapons.. how come you have those?" Itachi didn't quite get it. What a waste.

"I've told you, they were passed down. Long ago our family was a very strong Ninja Clan. Those were a custom product for my great-great-great-grandfather. But then we stopped fighting and became ordinary people. These are nothing more than nice looking heirloom, yet bandits keep coming to steal them and cause us trouble." He seemed to be just as annoyed as proud. "Then just give them to me!", Sayuri squealed with a quite high voice. "Are you nuts? That's nothing for a little girl.." She snorted offended. "Anyway.. let's look around and set up some security preparations around the village before it's dark outside." Itachi didn't want the situation to escalate. It's been bad enough the last time.

* * *

"Main entrance – finished"

"Northern entrance – finished"

"Southern entrance – finished"

"Well done everyone, Quitting time!" Tired and hungry Seishi, Sayuri and Itachi met in front of the mayor's house. The sun had already set and everyone was exhausted from setting up traps and alarm systems just in case the bandits would come at night. "Come on Itachi.. we can't do the same mistake twice. Let me share a room with Sayuri." Of course, it had taken a bad end last time they let Sayuri alone, but this time it was different. The bandits wanted the weapons, not the girl. All Seishi wanted was to derive advantages from the misfortune of the last mission. "I said NO!" Would they ever be able to have only one single peaceful dinner? "Who do you think you are to decide this, anyway?" Seishi stuffed his food in his mouth and laid the chopsticks down to show Itachi he was finished with eating and ready to deal with this issue outdoors. "I won't fight with you about that! I told you, you won't share a room with Sayuri and that's it. Live with it." Itachi sipped at his tea. He felt utterly cool.

Seishi jumped up. "YOU DAMN..!" "Ehm.. I'm sorry to interrupt you guys, but..", the mayor stared confused at his guests. "I don't really get your problem.. What exactly is it that you argue about?" "You see.. I think it's not safe to let Sayuri sleep alone, but this idiot.." Now he tried to get the mayor on his side. "But you don't get it, do you? There's no problem at all!" The old man smiled amused. None of the others understood what was so funny. And they didn't understand that the last thing they should do was asking about it.

"What's that? A wall closet?" Itachi wasn't very thrilled when the mayor showed them the place where they were meant to sleep. "Exactly. But I think for a closet it's really big and comfortable!" This didn't make the situation any better. Only if you turned plenty blind eyes to it, this was big enough for three people to sleep in, even though they were only children. And the word "comfortable" was absolutely out of place. "I told you there is no problem at all! I thought it would be the best to have you right in my house.. just in case.. and this was the only free space I had. So make yourself at home! Good night!" And the door closed behind the three shocked Ninjas who didn't get there eyes from the three pillows and blankets on the floor. "Sooo.. I sleep next to Sayuri!", Seishi got over it pretty fast. "What? No! I sleep next to her!" As if Itachi would let him win. "Ehm.. boys? I can sleep in the middle. It's no problem at all, really..", Sayuri didn't like this situation. One day they'd kill each other.

"NOO!" Both boys shouted at her in unison. She sighed and gave in. The guys glared at each other. "There's only one way to settle this matter like a_ man_.." "Exactly!"

"ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS"

What was the problem with Seishi sleeping next to Sayuri? It wasn't his problem! Why can't he let them do whatever they want? It was no big deal! Why should it bother him? Why should he care? No matter how long he thought about it, he didn't come to any answer. No, only more questions came to his mind. How should he manage to get his eyes of this peaceful, angel-like face, these slightly opened lips, this soft, silky skin? How should he sleep while smelling that hypnotizing lily fragrance? How should he get rid of that strong desire to run his hand over her silver hair only one time? How long will it take until he finally understands, that it was a crazy idea sleeping right next to Seishi? Now, was it luck that he skipped the singing and kicking and wrapped his arms around Itachi's body from the very start? These question also remained unanswered.

Itachi didn't know how, but he woke up, which meant he must have fallen asleep. It had to be quite early, because Sayuri was still lying there next to him just like he had left her. But something was odd. Where did Seishi's arm go to? He didn't feel it on his hip or anywhere else anymore. Not that he had anything against it. But then he saw where it went. Seishi's hand was over him, reaching out for Sayuri. "Nearly.. only a little bit more..", the other end of the arm whispered. When the fingers were only centimeters away from Sayuri's face, Itachi had enough. "Good morning", was all he needed to say to crush Seishi's concentration and make him lose balance right over him. The whole weight landed on him. "Morning..", Seishi seemed to be too depressed to lift himself up and decided to keep lying on Itachi. "What were you doing?" "I just wanted to know how her skin feels like, that's all.. why do you have to keep being such a drag?"

"Oh, her skin is incomparable. It's the softest thing I've ever felt. Why didn't you ask me from the very start?" "Sometimes I want to kill you, you know that? Man.. you're so lucky. It's sick how lucky you are. You have everything and get more with every single day." Saying those words he rubbed his head on Itachi's chest as if he wanted to make himself comfortable up there. Itachi was used to be hugged by him, but the fact that Seishi was pretty conscious this time made it odd. It was so odd, that Itachi had a hard time to feel sorry for him. Sorry, because he knew that Seishi didn't only mean with lucky the day he saved Sayuri and his one-time chance to sleep next to her, no he meant everything, his family, his parents, his brother. Everything he had and Seishi had lost.

"Why do you look so sadly? Are you jealous because I prefer Sayuri to you?" Ah okay, now _he _was the one sad and jealous. "Don't worry, to me you're still number one!" He bowed his head over Itachi's and acted like he wanted to kiss him on his cheek. Of course, he wasn't serious. Of course, he was only making fun of him. Itachi knew that, that's what Shisui was doing all the time. There was only one problem: Sayuri didn't know. "What are you doing?" If it was luck, that Sayuri had to open her eyes now of all moments, Itachi could fuck his luck. "It's not like it seems!" Seishi tried to save what he could, but it was already too late. "Don't talk to me!" The next moment she was already standing on her feet and ran out of the.. closet. "Shit!" Yeah, that hit the spot.

"Sayuri-chan.. please come out..you've got the wrong idea.." Seishi and Itachi were standing in front of the bathroom door and knocked against it. Inside Sayuri were locking herself in and made no attempt to come out. "It's a misunderstanding! We weren't serious!" Officially, Itachi didn't give a damn about whatever Sayuri was thinking of him and was only standing here because Seishi blamed him for everything. Unofficially, Itachi was definitely innocent and maybe he _did_ give a damn or two. "Believe me.. I still hate him.. I could kill him right on the spot!" How nice of Seishi. "Same for me!"

"What do you want anyway? She doesn't even like you! You didn't have anything to lose to begin with!" Now the desperateness devoured Seishi. Itachi knew he was right, though it was like a knife stabbing his heart. The imagination, that this beautiful being had always hated him and will always hate him brought him down. Knowing it was his own fault brought him even more down. And the fact that it brought him down made him sick and hating himself for being so horrible pathetic. He really hated being pathetic. That was soooo uncool.

Itachi could have wallowed in self-pity forever, but then the door finally opened and Sayuri appeared. That was unexpected. Suddenly she had unbelievable curly hair and her eyes looked twice as big as usual due to her make-up. In her curls stuck a lily, white and pure. She looked more like a doll than ever before. "Ok Itachi! Look at me! Can you say _NO_ to this face?" What do you answer on such a question? "Ehm... No?" Sayuri smiled confirmed. But then she hesitated. "Wait.. but you just did say NO.." What the..? "Yeah?" Sayuri was confused. But as she was Sayuri, she soon found a solution pleasing every party. "Right, Itachi has no heart so it won't work on him! But it will definitely work on the mayor!" How can she say this right into his face? _Itachi has no heart! _Well, thank you! Thank you very much! Now Itachi was really down. "What's with the mayor?" So he had to do his best to not letting on anything. "I'm having a impeccable plan! I'll ask the mayor once again for his double-blades and this time there's no way he can refuse me!" That was exactly why Itachi was the captain here, why Itachi was the one who decided over plans. Because as soon as Sayuri started to think such things happen!

"You know, at the risk of calling your mastermind in question, but when he didn't want to give you the Kunai because you're a little girl, why should he give them to you when you look even more like a little girl?" There! That should have hurt her! Itachi didn't even care that it was pathetic picking on others to make yourself feeling better. But Sayuri didn't seem to be offended. She just widened her far too big eyes and cocked her head, making the curls covering her face. "You've got a point there.." Come on.. she should cry now, shout at him, anything, but all she did was agreeing with him. That was just no fair.

"Anyway.. Sayuri.. about what happened before.. you're not mad or something? Do you understand it?", he really seemed to be worried about it. Sayuri smiled kindly. "Why should I be mad? You can do whatever you want. Just tell me before so I can leave the room in time!" She didn't understand. "No! I don't.. where are you going?" Sayuri just stopped listening and walked past the boys straight to the door. "Itachi could be right, but it's worth a try!" And she was gone. Seishi sighed. Itachi, too.

_Itachi has no heart._ It really bothered him. That's what she thought of him. He wished it was true, then he wouldn't feel the pain. Before Itachi drowned in self-pity this time, he realized that Seishi was staring at him. "What?" "Oh you poor boy.. I believe you have a heart!" Oh no.. he didn't say this loud, did he? Seishi hugged him. Maybe he thought this would comfort him. Well, not quite.

Somebody cleared his throat at the door. Sayuri had returned and caught them red-handed another time. "I really hate to interrupt you two loving birds, but I guess you should have a look at that. Before one of the boys could say anything to her, she was gone again.

"She's a pitiful girl.. alone among five guys and all of them are gay..", Seishi was still wrapping his arms around Itachi. "We're not gay.." Itachi tried to get rid of him. "Oh right.. I forgot.."

A huge column of smoke came from the forest. "That's obviously a trap. They want to lure us out and attack the village." Itachi only needed one look at it to realize. "Yeah.. but what if something happened?" Sayuri wasn't as smart. "Can you see anything with your Byakugan, Seishi?" "No, it's too far.."

"What should we do?" - "We could split up.." - "But how?" - "Why don't you two go looking for the smoke? You get along so well. I'll stay behind and protect the village." Sayuri _was _mad. And she got it all wrong again. "No!" - "Then I'll go together with Sayuri.." Seishi saw his chance. "No!", this time it was Sayuri. "I'm mad at you, Seishi, I thought we were friends! You should have told me how you feel about Itachi! But all you did was lying to me!" The villagers stared at them dumbfounded. "No, you get it all wr..!" "STOP LYING TO ME! I know what I've seen! I'll go with Itachi!" Something was going utterly wrong here. "But.. he lied to you, too!" Right! He did! "So what? I couldn't stand him from the very start!" Ouch. But it couldn't be helped. For Sayuri the topic was settled.

* * *

_oh.. poor Itachi.. somehow I feel sorry for him.._

_wait for the next chap! I'll try to update ASAP_

_What will await our friends when they reach the smoke? And will Sayuri ever stop believing that Itachi and Seishi are in love?_


	11. A hopeless fight

_Hey everyone! I have to admit.. I'm kinda disappointed of you all.._

_Come on! one review per chapter? That's weak!_

_Ok maybe I shouldn't start with this over and over again.. but... it really makes me sad -.-_

_it makes me think that my story isn't good enough to leave one or two words of kindness and not bad enough to tell me to try harder or stop.. I mean other stories with less words have more than 200 reviews.. So where exactly is the problem?_

_I guess it's those strange teachers.. I have to kill them o.O_

_Now the chapter you were all waiting for! I hate to spoil but.. I already said it a couple of times.. so.. this is the chapter were Itachi gets his Sharingan.._

_and yes I'm quite aware of the fact that it's more or less the very same thing as it was with Sasuke_

_Another thing which could be irritating.. those yaoi elements from last time.._

_maybe this bugs me more than you.. but I really don't know why I wrote this.._

_I actually don't read such mangas so.. how did this happen?_

_Due to my paranoid compulsion to analyze my own behavior, I set out on a journey deeply, deeply in my rather unspectacular manga collection and there.. between splatters and maho shojos.. I finally found the evil cause of my fantasies: Shi Hwa Mong_

_It's not even a manga! It's korean! You read it from the left to the right.. from the start to the finish.. that's sooo strange.. _

_and there in this not manga is a boy.. black haired.. emotionless.. extreme cool.. and? What happens? _

_Of course, I subconsciously associate him with Itachi.. and now there's another one always trying to hug and kiss that boy.. and I subconsciously apply him to Seishi.. and.. still subconsciously.. meaning: without any bad intent.. I treat those compulsive associations in my story.._

_I'm sure you were all super interested in this psychoanalysis.. but I just wanted to prove myself that those one year psychology lessons weren't all crap.. _

_anyway.. I think it's cute somehow so I guess I'll go on with subconscious yaoi ^^_

_this author note was pretty long.. it could be it's own chapter.. hm.. I'm too talkative when I write_

_enjoy and don't hesitate to leave a nice review.. or a not so nice.. just review!_

_Naruto still belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.. just like it did all chapters before.._

* * *

**A hopeless fight**

Sayuri didn't say a word the whole way. Did she really believe in all that crap she was saying? Honestly.. as if either Itachi or Seishi.. no way. But Sayuri seemed to be quite convinced. "Come on.. you weren't serious, were you?" It would be cooler, just to be indifferent about what she was thinking of him. But who knew just how long they were meant to be in one team? It was smarter to come along sooner or later. And in Itachi's point of view the only way to make them coming along was, that she didn't believe he tried to steal her boyfriend. Though it seemed like they were really only friends until now.

"Shut up! Just how long do you think you can go on fooling me! It was obvious enough for me this morning!" Well, Itachi couldn't deny that it has really been quite obvious this morning. But was it Itachi's fault that Seishi had a rather strange way to tease him? Of course not!

"Tell me, what should I do to show you that I'm not gay?" Has this been a good idea? Sayuri could be quite sadistic sometimes. She turned around and looked at him. The fact that they actually had work to do started to become unimportant. Then she smiled, but not her usual, kind smile. This smile was different. It was evil. "All right then, kiss me!" Truly sadistic. "WHAT?" Itachi hoped he only misheard something. "You've got me right! If you're really _normal_ you should be able to kiss me here on my lips!", she put her finger on her mouth, "and you should enjoy it." Itachi stared at her face to look for any signs that she was making fun of him. Her make-up and her curls were still making her look like a doll and her eyes were still far too big, and far too serious. His eyes wandered towards her lips. They were beautifully shaped and glossy. Only looking at them gave Itachi a hard time not to get carried away and start to describe their perfection. Which he had actually already done herewith. What kind of human being could presume to kiss those lips?

"What are you waiting for?" Sayuri stepped forward, so there was less distance between their faces and closed her eyes. This was it. She was only playing with him. She never expected him to really kiss her for even one second. Just what if he actually dared and put his lips on hers? She would totally freak out for sure. "I can't do that.." Itachi would have been too pleased to see her reaction, but this most likely wasn't the best way to start "getting along". Sayuri opened her eyes again and shook her head. "Just as I said! You're G-A-Y! Stop claiming the opposite!" So she said when she turned around and walked on. Now Itachi was angry. That girl got nerve.. talking to him like that. " You're the one to talk. I don't think you're name is Sa-YURI for nothing.." (Note: _Yuri_ is the female counterpart of _yaoi. _Which means it describes girl-girl relationships.. btw maybe I should mention that I'm actually quite tolerant)

Okay, this wasn't a good way to start "getting along" either. Maybe the kissing thing would have been a better idea. Sayuri froze and turned around slowly, with big.. no giant eyes and her lower jaw flapped wide open. "You... you.. FUCKING ASSHOLE! WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO BACK AND MAKE OUT WITH SEISHI AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" (Note: Did I already mention that I'm actually quite tolerant?) Itachi didn't quite get it. _She _was allowed to impute all this to him, _she _was allowed to mess with him, _she _was allowed to shout at him like some animal with rabies, but he wasn't even allowed to counter with a little jibe. He also failed to see that he had to apologize, but Sayuri was really mad and disappeared in the trees. He followed after her. "Sayuri.. I'm sor.." And there she was again, suddenly standing in front of him with a face boiling with rage. "YOU-DON'T-EVER-TAKE-MY-NAME-IN-YOUR-FILTHY-MOUTH!" With every word she made a step in his direction and pierced her finger into Itachi's chest to make him draw back. It was useless. All Itachi had left to do was following after her with a certain safe distance to the place they wanted to go. What was that again? Oh right.. the column of smoke.

* * *

As Itachi tried to follow Sayuri, he was wondering if it really was that smart. It was most likely only a trick to distract and separate them while the bandits attacked the village. So wouldn't it be better to leave Sayuri alone and head back? But then she was sure to get the wrong idea again. Itachi shouldn't care less, but somehow it really concerned him.

The closer they got, the less comfortable Itachi felt. Something was strange. They were close enough to smell the smoke, but the smell wasn't as it should be. It wasn't like burning grass or wood or anything else you would expect in a forest. It was different. Itachi got nervous. What if he was wrong? What if the bandits wanted to lure them out of the village to attack them right here?

He increased his speed. "Sayuri!" She slammed on the brakes and turned around. "ARE YOU DEAF?" She didn't get to finish the sentence as Itachi grabbed her and pulled her to the ground. None to soon. The spot Sayuri had been standing just a second ago was blessed with a rain of knives and swords from all directions. She stared at it disbelieving. If Itachi hadn't been there, she'd be meat skewer right now. While they were still trying to understand what has happened, they were already being surrounded by a group of men. There were about ten of them and they were anything else but ordinary bandits. They were Shinobi, Chuunin at least. Sayuri and Itachi slowly stood up and stayed there back to back, facing the enemies who were ready to finish them off if they made just one single wrong movement.

This shouldn't have happened. It was supposed to be a C rank mission, with other Shinobi involved, especially when they had a higher rank than Genin, it would be at least B. Unacceptable for three single eight-years-old Genin without any remarkable fighting experience. "What shall we do?", Sayuri whispered as quiet as she could so the others wouldn't hear her. At least she forgot about their little argument. Well, what should they do? Say a last prayer and beg for a quick and painless death? Or fight? As they were true Ninjas, albeit the fact that they were children, the answer was obvious.

"Surrender and nothing will happen to you!", one of the men said. "That's a lie..", Itachi told Sayuri, but she already knew. Now was the moment it would have been not such a bad idea to have paid attention in class, especially in the lesson they had learned to handle such situations. Carefully they raised their hands to show that they'd give up. It took Sayuri less than a second to grab a smoke-bomb hidden somewhere in her dress and throw it on the ground before anyone could react. And when the smoke faded away only seconds later it seemed as if still no one had reacted. The situation hadn't changed a bit, the two were still standing there, not having moved a step and the men surrounded them smiling amused. "You really are only some foolish children. I'm almost sorry to have to kill you before your lifes even actually started." The man who seemed to be the leader gave a hand signal and two Chuunin with masks ran towards Itachi and Seishi. They drew their swords and pierced them into the little bodies of the poor children. But the bodies didn't bleed, they disappeared by making a sound as if a balloon would burst. Kagebunshin. "When did they..?" How come the man was actually surprised? What else should they have done while they had been protected by the smokescreen? "Katon: Hi no kabe no Jutsu!" (Note: No guaranty for proper Japanese.. Hi no kabe is supposed to mean firewall)

A large wall of fire surrounded the thieves. Sayuri. She acted quickly. The radius of the fire circle decreased and the men were forced to gather in the circle. Itachi knew from the day at school, that this Jutsu needed a lot of Chakra and that Sayuri couldn't hold it up that long. So when the flames lost their power and returned to ashes, the "bandits" found themselves being surrounded by ten Itachis and Sayuris. "So turns the tide!", Itachi stated self-confident. Sayuri wasn't that optimistic. Everyone of her selfs panted for air. First that Ninjutsu and now that many Kagebunshin at once. They had to finish this quickly otherwise it was only a question of time until they were out of Chakra. "Are you alright?" She nodded. She didn't seem to be able to do more, which meant she wasn't alright at all.

"Seems like we underestimated you two..", the leader said. "Shut up! We talk now. Who are you? And what do you think by attacking us all of a sudden?" This really wasn't any good. It didn't need too much to cause serious conflicts between the Ninja villages. Such actions weren't a bad start. "No need to worry about territory infringements. We're Nukenin!" Nukenin. Perfect. This would make it A rank. "What do you want?" "The double-blades!" It was strange. Why would ten men try to get one pair of double-blades? "Whatever! You're arrested!"Itachi knew that this was too easy. And he was right. "You think we give up? You're really naïve!" The leader laughed spitefully and soon the cause of his confidence became clear. While Itachi and Sayuri had been distracted by the conversation, the men were preparing a counterattack. With their Kusarigama (those chains with a sickle at the end) they ripped through the shadowclone battlefront and destroyed it as if it was nothing. The two originals managed to dodge the attack in the very last moment. Now exactly the thing the enemies had wanted, happened, they were separated. And so they split up, five went for each. Itachi dodged their attacks intuitively, but he couldn't concentrate properly, he kept thinking about Sayuri and if she was able to defeat five chuunin in her state. But maybe it would have been better to mind his business, he nearly got his head cut off and so he jumped in the air to attack. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu" He should practice this more often. He formed the signs, he blew the giant flame out of his mouth, but the targets had already vanished before the fire hit them and reappeared in the air right around Itachi. Five fists fiercely hit his back and threw him to the ground. The impact was grave, it may broke some ribs, but Itachi forced himself up and jumped on his feet again several meters from the point he laid, before another rain of knives would pin him to the ground for eternity. He felt something touching his back. Or rather someone. The faint smell of lilies relieved him. Sayuri was still alive, but she was weak. "They're too fast.. it's as if they were always two steps ahead of us.." Her voice was quiet and desperate. And she was right. No matter what they were trying to do, the men dodged. It was futile, especially now when they found themselves back in the starting position, with the men surrounding them. Only that neither Itachi nor Sayuri were in full possession of their powers. "Then we have to be three steps ahead.." That was all Itachi knew. But it didn't help much. "Great idea.." Sayuri didn't feel any better. The leader laughed loud when he saw their desperate faces. "It's over.. do us all and favor and give up!" "He's right.." Sayuri lost the last spark hope in her heart. "We have no choice.. or do you want to die in your second C mission?" Itachi couldn't explain it himself, but he suddenly felt confidence. He felt like the movements of the Nukenin slowed down, he was certain, he could read them. "It's useless.. Itachi.. It's useless..", Sayuri sobbed. She crossed her limits. But not now.. she couldn't do this. She couldn't give them up now. Itachi turned around, grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Sayuri! It's not too late! Don't give up!" She just stared at him shocked. Her eyes were wide open, tear drops ran down her cheeks. "Itachi.. your.. your eyes.." Itachi didn't know what her problem was, but he had no time to think about it. He took Sayuri's body and dodged the attacks of the men. "Itachi? How..?" Sayuri didn't understand this sudden change of the situation. As well as she didn't understand the sudden change of Itachi's eye color. "Be quiet! I'll handle this the Uchiha-way.. with Genjutsu!" He formed a sign and whispered something. The next moment the attacks stopped and the men stood there, not doing anything. And so was Itachi, he was completely lost in concentration. Sayuri didn't quite get the situation, but she knew that this was her only chance. That's all she cared about, she didn't care that it would use her very last Chakra resources, she didn't care that it might kill her, she didn't care about anything else. "Raiton: daidenkou no Jutsu!" (Note: …random sequence of random words.. dai = great, denkou = lightning … I don't quite trust those japanese dictionaries but it's not like I had any choice..) The clear blue sky went cloudy and dark. Sayuri barely managed to grab Itachi's non-moving body and tear it to the ground before the first flash struck. In only few seconds the men were exposed to more than half a million volt. No way they'd survive this. Sayuri didn't even care that they've actually been explicitly told not to kill anybody. Itachi's red eyes snapped open and stared horrified at the dead bodies. The sky slowly cleared up again. "Sa.. Sayuri?" Sayuri smiled proudly. "Yes?" She hoped for some praise. "Are you.. ARE YOU NUTS?" Now Itachi was the one angry. He stood up again, feeling his bruises and wounds and broken bones. Sayuri stood up, too. Her body wasn't in any better state. She trembled an had a hard time to keep her balance. Then it was over. She collapsed. Itachi caught and supported her. "Why did you do this? You should have left this to me! Now you can't even stand anymore!" Itachi himself could hardly stand, this Genjutsu used up all his Chakra. And now it has been useless. "Come on.. Genjutsu don't end a fight.. they don't hurt anyone.. and now it's over.. it's finally over" Thick tears of relief mixed with the makeup, turned black, and ran down her pale face. She took a deep breath and tried to stand alone. And somehow it worked. Her eyes sparkled in happiness. No one would believe that she just killed cold-blooded ten men. But Itachi couldn't be mad at her. She was right.. it was over. And due to some inexplicable reason they were still alive. Weak, but alive.

* * *

Sayuri stepped a few times with her foot on the ground to see if she could walk. When she didn't lose balance again, she smiled even more. "Let's go b.." Suddenly her feet were ripped of the ground, her body jerked through the air with immense speed and hit a rock. She was silent, she didn't even scream, she just slipped down the rough stone without a sound, leaving behind a dark red trace of blood. Itachi watched her with gaped eyes. His breath got faster. What has happened? From the woods came the sound of clapping. "Not bad, really not bad for some children. But only because you killed my useless subordinates, it doesn't mean it's over!" Itachi turned around and stared at the man coming closer. He grinned gleefully. Itachi stepped backwards, but before he could do anything, the man was already standing before him and grabbed his throat. He lifted him up and tightened his grasp. Itachi had seen through his movements, he knew what he would do before he even knew himself, but he hadn't any strength left to dodge. Now he was panting for air and tried to pierce his fingernails in the hands of the man, most likely a Jonin, knowing it was useless. "You're an Uchiha, aren't you? I see it in your eyes. But your stupid bloodline limit won't help you anyway." Itachi found enough energy to spit his spiteful tantalizer right in the face. "You.. YOU LITTLE RAT!" He threw him away with full force so he hit Sayuri's motionless body and crushed it against the rock. She moaned weakly, only a sign that she was still alive. No second later the man stood in front of him again and lifted him by his hair. His smile became broader and snotty. He laughed. "Who do you think you are? You should have run away when you still had the chance!" He kneed Itachi in th stomach. He coughed up blood. "How dumb can you be to get in the way between me and my weapons? Those kunai were made for killing, for slicing through human bodies, for shedding blood, red blood covering the pure white blades. Those kunai were made for me and me alone." He put his dirty fingers in Itachi's blood-drenched face and knocked his head against the rock over and over again. First the pain was so unbearable, that Itachi wanted to die, he wanted to die only to make the pain, when the head rushed against the hard stone, go away. But then the pain faded. He barely felt the blood running down the back of his head, he barely felt his legs, his arms, his whole body. He lost sense of everything, his sight went black, the frantic face of the man blurred. Only somewhere, far away, he heard a sobbing. "Stop it! Please! Stop it!" Sayuri couldn't bare it any longer. The next thing Itachi realized was that his body had no connection to the ground no more. He flew. And landed. Hard. A few meters away. He grasped some words. _Bitch.. not finished.. suffer. _It continued. Not with him, but the sound of a human body hitting a rock continued. Itachi tried to open his eyes. He didn't see much, his sight was still blurred, all he saw was silver hair becoming red, blood red. And a man hitting and kicking a little, graceful body. _He'll kill her. _The rock turned red. Sayuri's white dress turned red. Everything turned red. _He'll beat her to death. _An incredible noise. The rock burst. The impact of Sayuri's body hitting the rock was to great. Her body flew backwards and hit the ground. She didn't move. _She'll die. _The man laughed. It was a horrible laughter. _She'll die. _Itachi couldn't breath anymore. He couldn't take it. Why? How? _She'll die._

Sayuri's eyes were filled with tears. When would she finally die? When would the pain stop? She tasted blood, she smelled blood. She panted for air. "What? You're still alive? Then I'll release you from your pain." She winked. The man formed fingersigns. Dozens, maybe hundreds of knives appeared out of thin air and focused on her. Now it was over. Sayuri closed her eyes. How could someone die in his second C mission? How pathetic. _Forgive me, Kakashi, I have to disappoint you. Forgive me, Seishi, I die before I can apologize to you. Forgive me, Itachi, forgive me. I never meant to hurt you, to hate you, to.. if I just tried to get along with you. Maybe we could have become friends. Forgive me. _

Something raved through the air. Only one moment and it was over. Sharp blades pierced through human flesh. The sound was awful. But even more awful was the absence of pain, the absence of the numb feeling you get when you die. Sayuri opened her eyes. In front of her was a shadow, the shadow of a body sheltering her. Itachi toppled down sidewards. Sayuri didn't trust her eyes. She didn't want to trust them. She didn't want to believe that Itachi was lying on the ground, with uncountable knives in his body, piercing his vitals. "Itachi?" Her body gave a damn about its state. She dragged herself towards him and touched his face with her trembling fingers. "Itachi?" He didn't move. He didn't say anything. "Interesting.. how much strength was in this boy's body after all. But now it's too late. He's dead." "NO!" She felt his heart beating. He wasn't. She could save him. She could help him. She couldn't let him die. Not after he saved her life. "How cute. Stop that already. He's dead! And you will follow!" He laughed. And all of a sudden all the desperateness and sorrow in Sayuri's heart turned into wrath. Into pure wrath and hate. This man. The pain she had to suffer. The pain Itachi had to suffer. Underneath her fingers his breath slowed down, his pulse faded. "You.. you damn.. you dare.." Sayuri's voice trembled, her body trembled. Never before she had felt such pure hate. "DIE!"

* * *

The midday sun tickled her face when she slowly regained consciousness. She moved. Without moving herself. The light dazzled her, yet she tried to open her eyes. It took her a while until she recognized the path leading through the forest. It didn't keep still, it shook. She was being carried by something, or rather someone. Together with her sense, her pain returned to her. Her whole body hurt terribly, her head felt like mush. She moaned when she remembered the reason for her state. "Awake already?" There was a voice right next to her ear. Thick tears gathered in her eyes. How badly she wanted to hear this voice. Just how relieved she was. "Itachi.." No matter how much it hurt her, no matter how much bruises covered her arms, no matter how much bones were broken, she did her best to tighten her grasp around his neck. She wanted to feel him, to make sure she wasn't dreaming, to make sure she wasn't dead. Itachi was the one who carried her. She felt the holes in his shirt, the holes of the knives. She flinched. Their bodies were wet, soaked in blood. Blood, so much blood. Blood in their mouths, blood in their hair, blood in their faces, blood everywhere. Still the sun shone on them while they fought their way back to the village. While Itachi fought the way for them both.

"Why.." She remembered his body pierced with knives, lying there on the ground, not moving, almost dead. "I don't know.. I really don't.. when I woke up.. the knives were drawn out of my body.. the wounds closed.. and you were lying next to me.. I thought you were dead..", his voice was weak and quiet. Sayuri felt his pain. But she relished every single word he said, it showed her his presence. "The man.. Sayuri.. you have to tell me.. what happened.." She kept still. "Sayuri.. he.. his body.. he was torn into pieces.. his head.. his limbs.. his.." She remained silent. "It looked like.. who did it.. did some wild animal do this.. a big one.. was it.. a beast?" Silence. A beast? "I don't know.. I'm sorry.. I was unconscious.." Silence. "I see.."

He had died. He had died. And suddenly he was alive. Suddenly his wounds were gone. Suddenly his murderer dead. Maybe he wasn't too young to believe in miracles. But he was too smart.

"Itachi.. you shouldn't carry me! You're hurt so badly! Let me walk alone!" Sayuri didn't believe for a second that she was able to move. But Itachi's injuries were so much worse than hers. And he had done so much for her already. "No.. no I'll carry you back to the village." "But.." "No!"

"Why? Why are you doing this for me? I told you.. I don't even.." "You don't even like me? You don't even believe I have a heart? I know that.. but still.. I thought.. at Seishi's house.. I thought we.."

Sayuri broke into tears. "I'm so sorry.. so sorry.. forgive me.. I beg you.. forgive me.." She cried. She didn't even have the strength to. Those tears would use all her power just to flow. "What are you talking about? You shouldn't say such things. You hate me!" Sayuri cried on. She hated herself so much right now. "No! NO! I don't hate you! I never did. I'm so sorry.. Itachi.. I never meant to.. I don't know why I said this.." Sayuri couldn't believe herself how she had been able to be so mean. To lie to someone to hurt him. Or only to see if it would hurt him. Itachi had risked his life to protect her. He didn't care about his own life. He had known what Sayuri said about him. It had hurt him. He must have hated her, must have thought she was the most despicable girl in the world. Yet he didn't hesitate even for a moment to throw away his life to save hers. "Sayuri.." Itachi didn't understand. "I was so wrong. Itachi.. you're not a bad person. You have a heart. A big and.. and beautiful heart. You're so kind.. so nice.. so.. so adorable!" Adorable? „You've got your head hit pretty badly.." Itachi didn't trust Sayuri's words too much. And Sayuri's words became more confused with every second. „Itachi.. it won't.. last long.." „You should.. rest a bit.. sleep.." Itachi didn't understand what she was trying to say. How could he? How could he know that he had only minutes left until the wounds would reopen? The blood would flow like water.. and every life-threatening injure he had to suffer would show its effect after all. He didn't have any idea in this moment. But he didn't believe in miracles from the very start. And Sayuri didn't have the strength left to tell him. „Don't.. die..", she whispered when she lost consciousness again. Her sight went black and she closed her eyes. And, with her senses, the pain started to fade away. All she had left were her thoughts. So she wondered. What if? What if she had given Itachi a fair chance from the start? Would they've become friends? What if he had really kissed her back then? Would she even have let him? And would she have returned his kiss? Would she have been able to enjoy it? Yeah.. she was wondering. What if she had fallen in love with Itachi? What if she had liked him a little more with every word he had said, with everything he had been doing, with every time he looked at her? Or what if she had always loved him, from the very start, their first meeting and even far sooner than that? What if she had only been to blind to see that? What if she loved him? And what if he loved her, too?

* * *

_Phew.. this chapter.. I cried writing this_

_please tell me your opinion! _

_This is mysterious.. what happened to Itachi's injuries?_

_What happened to the Nukenin?_

_What happened to Sayuri?_

_So many questions.. for answers you have to read on.. so pls do so!_

_PS: Hey there european readers! Saturday is the eurovision songcontest.._

_I actually couldn't care less.. but.. heeey.. germany has a real chance o.O_

_I mean.. those last years.. No Angels.. Dita von Teese „stripping" for us.. gosh.. shame on my country.._

_But anyway.. I'm not confident that we win the soccer WC this year so we have to make up for it_

_Vote for Germany! (unlicensed commercial)_


	12. Hospitalized

_If I keep up this speed I'll finish school before that.. _

_well I guess I have to apologize for my bad english once in a while ^^'_

_Now I was finally able to complete another step of Itachi's life.._

_Starting the next chapter they'll be ten and I.. I'm running out of ideas.._

_any special wishes and ideas? Tell me pls.._

_It's been nearly one week but.. I just have to say it.. Germany won ESC! _

_couldn't believe.. screamed every time when we got twelve points_

_I actually don't like Lena and her song that much.. France was really great :D_

_but honestly if I just think what the ESC was for Germany the last years.. and now.._

_I have to admit Stefan Raab is a genius_

_I keep talking too much -.- sorry I'm a girl :)_

_enjoy_

_Naruto, and I guess you all know, still belongs to Masashi Kishimoto_

* * *

**Hospitalized**

**Three Weeks later**

"Ok.. that's the last one – and - it's over! Congratulations! You're free again!" The nurse smiled. "Wow.. I almost forgot how hard it is to breathe for yourself.." "You've got the lung ventilator removed a week ago.." Seishi sat on his chair next to Sayuri's bed and watched her as she was shaking her arms and legs. "I was just kidding!" It felt strange to move without several tubes in her body. Finally, after three weeks, the medics agreed that she was healthy enough to remove all the strange liquids they pumped into her. Long enough. "Don't overdo it!" Seishi grabbed her before she'd jump up and run through the room. She's been bound to the bed until now, after all. "I'm fine" She smiled at Seishi. He smiled back. Sayuri was so glad she had a friend like him. It's been one week since she regained consciousness, for two weeks she was sleeping, and Seishi has never left her since. He sat on his chair watching over her, whether she's been awake or asleep. He's been there when she woke up, when she found herself in the hospital of Konoha not knowing what has happened.

He told her everything. He told her, that Itachi had carried her all the way back to the village, even though his wounds reopened and he left a terrible streak of blood behind. He collapsed right in the entrance with her on the back. They'd been very lucky that the teachers had already arrived and took them to Tsunade-hime immediately, who was able to keep them alive. This had been a miracle. Itachi was hurt so badly, he should have died from the spot. Sixteen ribs broken, thirteen other bones, most organs pierced, collapsing of lung, liver and kidney, not to mention all the arteries and veins having been hit. When Sayuri heard all that she wanted to see him and jumped up. She identified the motionless body 5 meters away from her as her teammate and wanted to run towards him, but Seishi held her back. She couldn't leave her bed with all the stuff in her body. When she broke into tears as a result, he held her tightly to his chest and comforted her. He didn't lie to her. He didn't hide from her that Itachi hasn't woken up yet. When she asked him when he would, he told her the truth even though he knew it would hurt her. He told her that the doctors said they didn't know. It could be days, it could be weeks, it could be months, it could be years. It wasn't even sure if he would ever wake up again. And now, after one week having gone past, he still hasn't woken up. He just laid there without moving a finger. And Seishi endured it without getting impatient when Sayuri sent him every five minutes to Itachi to make sure if he might have opened his eyes. When she refused to sleep because she was afraid his heart would stop beating during the night and when she woke up he was gone, Seishi calmed her and said he would wake her immediately if something happened. But now she could look for herself. "Seishi..", she gave him a begging glance. He nodded knowingly. The floor felt cold under her naked feet. Seishi's hands felt warm as they held her, sure to catch her when she lost balance. Sayuri could trust him with her life, she knew that. And she was grateful for every moment he was by her side. She couldn't remember when she deserved such great people surrounding her. Teammates who put their life on the line for her sake, a brother who visited her in every free second though he was so busy. And there was she, arrogant, selfish, mean.

Step for step she came closer to Itachi, her heart beat went faster. But Seishi held her firmly, he was afraid her circuit would collapse if she walked to fast. "Are you alright?" He was really being too concerned. "I'm just fine.." The fact only was that she wasn't. Everything started to blur and her head went dizzy. But she couldn't tell him, she wanted to see Itachi so badly. She wanted to see his face, she wanted to touch him, feel his heart beating, gently kissing him awake. Those thoughts did it. Her pulse quickened, the blood rushed in her head and only seconds later she found herself back in her bed. "I told you, don't overdo it!" And there it was again, Seishi's face bending over hers when she opened her eyes. What had she been thinking? Those thoughts didn't fit in an eight-years-old girl. She had to start controlling it. But still she couldn't think of anything else than that she wanted to see Itachi. She wanted to see the one who suffered so much, who nearly died only to save her. The one who carried her the whole way even though he was so close to death, even though his pain was incredible. She tried to get up again, but Seishi stopped her. " Are you even listening to me?" The nurse nodded. "If you rest properly, you can leave tomorrow", she said. "I've rested for three weeks.." Sayuri stared into Seishi's eyes. Her look was pervading and determined. Seishi tried to resist for several second but then he gave in and sighed. How lucky and thankful she was for having such a good friend. He carried her cautiously over to Itachi's bed. When he sat her down next to Itachi, she couldn't deny him a quick kiss on the cheek. She didn't recognize it when he went red, all her attention belonged to the sleeping angel next to her. There he laid, with more tubes in his body than Sayuri had ever got, displaying instruments, an inhalator on his pale face. Next to him stood this box, this box with the strange lines on it, some numbers, continuously making this sound, this monotone bleep. For all the the time, this sound had never stopped. First Sayuri was annoyed about it, she couldn't think or sleep because of it. But then, when she realized that it actually was his heart beating there, the sign that he was still alive, she fell in love with the persistent sound. His hair was loose and covered the pillow and his face. His hand was cold as ice when Sayuri touched it. She startled at first, but then took his hand tightly in hers. And then, when she felt the faint pressure of blood running through his veins, the emotions overwhelmed her. Thick tears ran down her snow white, fragile face. "Itachi.. do you hear me? You have to wake up, ok? Please, wake up! I have to thank you.. I have to apologize.. there are so many things I have to tell you.. so please.. please.. wake up.. don't leave me here." Maybe it was this deep desire , maybe it was her headache and sickness, maybe it was the desperateness, but there, under her fingers, she felt something. Itachi's hand moved, slowly, barely noticeable, but it moved. "SEISHI! He's waking up! I knew it! Quickly! Call someone!" Seishi sighed. How often did she tell him now that Itachi has moved? How often did she sent him to call someone? How often has he actually done what she said and it turned out, as expected, to only be her imagination? Seishi stopped counting. "Sayuri.." His voice had a undertone filled with pity. "I'm not crazy!" Sayuri knew what he wanted to say. She laid her second hand on Itachi's and tightened her grasp. "Itachi! You hear me, right? Please, open your eyes! Open your eyes!" "Sayuri.. you have to stop that.." Seishi couldn't bare the sight. When would Sayuri regain her sense of reality? Would she fall into madness? He couldn't let her do that, he had to stand by her side and help her however he could.

Before they could do anything, the window flapped open and a hand grabbed Sayuri's throat and lifted her up. "You dare touching Itachi with your filthy fingers?" Sayuri stared in the red eyes of the boy coming by every now and then addressing himself as Itachi's best friend. Shisui Uchiha. He had the same evil glare as the rest of his family. The same glance Sayuri kept getting. They all blamed her. They blamed her for the state of their important family member. They believed that, if Sayuri hadn't been there to distract and constrain him, Itachi would have easily dealt with the fake bandits. And the more often they told her that, the more glares she got, the more she believed it herself.

"You're.. hurting me.." Sayuri barely got air, the grasp of Shisui was too strong. "What are you doing? Let her go!" Now Seishi got angry. He caught at Sayuri and drew her to his body. "Out of my sight! You.. you trash!" Seishi wanted to beat the shit out of him but Sayuri held him back. She didn't have the strength to fight or to see one of her friends fighting. So Seishi accompanied her back to her bed only to see Shisui angrily pulling the dividing curtain shut. "This damn.." This family really had some problems. "Don't be mad at him.. He's just worried about Itachi.." How come she was so pacifistic all of a sudden? This had to be the morphine. "That's what we are, too! Now show me this." He pulled at the collar of her shirt. Sayuri tried to stop him, but it was no use. She knew what he had found when he bit on his lips and his eyes filled with hate, but it wasn't her fault that her skin went thin and sensitive during her weeks at the hospital. "They'll go away." She removed his hand from the collar and straightened it to hide the strangulation marks.

Seishi didn't seem to be calmed down. A quite strange situation regarding the fact, that he has always been the one who had to calm Sayuri. Now she had to think of something to cheer him up. "Show me _them_ again!" And, just as if she has pushed some button, he smiled at her. "As you wish, your majesty!" Your majesty.. she somehow liked the sound of that. The only thing making her feeling better in all this mess, was the price for her pain. _Them._ She tried the whole week to find suitable names, but she just couldn't decide on some. When Seishi pulled out the black box, she had the same feeling as she had the first time. Only that now she knew what was inside. That day Seishi had this smile on his face while he let his hand slide over the long, beautiful box. "Are you ready?", he had asked. And Sayuri had nodded, still tears in her eyes. She had been sure that nothing could make her feeling better after she had received the horrible message about Itachi's state. But she had been wrong. "The mayor wanted me to give them to you. He said: _I can't use them and they only cause me trouble. But that girl.. this.. lily princess.. seemed to be very fond of them. So give them to her that's all I can do to after she nearly died for me." _Lily princess.. only because she had had a lily in her hair. Sayuri had neither been surprised nor flattered. She had been too busy with admiring the pure white double blades, to touch them, feel the cold metal in her hands. Every day she stared at them a couple of times and never got tired of it. They gave her the feeling that all this suffering had been worth it in the end. Although Itachi was lying half dead at the other edge of the room.

But not even those kunai could prevent her from the great disaster awaiting her. The door opened and a angry looking man entered the room. Behind him was a beautiful woman with long black hair and a little, incredibly cute looking boy in her arms. That was too much. First Shisui and now Itachi's family. Sayuri quickly hid under her blanket and acted as if she was sleeping. Seishi closed the black box and threw it under the bed before it was noticed. Knowing that this horrible girl not only survived but also got a valuable reward would make them hating her even more.

They vanished behind the curtain and soon you could hear voices from next door. Sayuri did her best not to listen but it wasn't that easy. "Why is O-nii-chan still sleeping? He has to wake up.. I want to play with him.. He's so boring when he sleeps." Ohh.. he's sooo cute. Sayuri had to fight with the desire to jump up and give little Sasuke a tight hug. But as she knew the Uchihas it was likely to be the last thing she'd do. "_I _think Itachi is cute when he sleeps", Seishi whispered with a broad grin in the face. But unfortunately it hadn't been silent enough. Itachi's father tore the curtain open, gave them a deadly glare and pulled it shut again. This action had been so strange that Sayuri and Seishi started to chuckle while doing they're best to keep it as quiet as possible. After all, Seishi was right. Itachi definitely was cute when he slept. The slightly opened mouth, the closed eyes, the loose hair, the whole peaceful face. Sooo cute. Those brothers obviously had their beauty from their mother. But the character from the father.

"I'm sure he'll wake up soon. Why don't you just give him a kiss on the cheek and see if it wakes him up, hm?" Oh my.. Sayuri didn't know what made her more furious. That it had been her who wanted to kiss Itachi awake or that she wasn't able to see it when Sasuke would do it. It would be sooo cute! Maybe she should try to peek a little. "Yuck! There's no way I'd do that!" Should she be disappointed or happy now? "Ok! If you don't do it then I will!" Itachi's mother really was awesome. She was so kind. "No! No I'll do it!" Cuuute. Everything went silent, the atmosphere grew tense. Would he really do it? Sayuri wanted to see it. But before she could do anything, something changed the atmosphere. It had been faint, very quiet, but Sayuri realized it immediately. "Sasu.. ke?" This voice. Sayuri sat bolt upright in her bed. Did she fall asleep? Was this all a dream? Oh please, please not. Let it be true. Let this voice be Itachi's. She felt Seishi's hand on hers. He had heard it, too. And the last thing he wanted was that she ran over to him to make sure that they were right. "Itachi! My baby!" "Mum?" There it was again. Sayuri started to cry. "It's him.. he's awake.. I told you!" No matter how happy she had been looking at her new weapons, it didn't come close to the feeling she had now. "Yeah.. yeah.. you were right." "Where.. is Sayuri?" He was so weak, he had a tube in the throat, and still thought about her. Sayuri tried to choke her sobbing on Seishi's chest. They had to wait. Wait until his family was gone. There was no other way. But of course they wouldn't leave that soon now. The following minutes were like hell, no, worse than hell. Seishi had to hold Sayuri very tightly to prevent her from doing any stupidities. His voice, over and over again. And he talked about her. Whether she was fine. Whether she was here. Nobody told him she was only a short hop from him. Only his mother calmed him down with telling him she was alright. May God bless the nurse who sent them away telling them Itachi needed to rest. As soon as the door clunked shut, Sayuri tore the curtain open and rushed towards his bed. The man who saved her life. Still pale, still weak, still so vulnerable, but now his dark black eyes were open and merged with hers. She couldn't restrain the tears any longer. She never could. Every time it had something to do with Itachi, she just cried. Cried and smiled. Her eyes glowed. "Hey..", she whispered. For one moment she thought that a faint smile flitted across his white lips. "Hey", he whispered back. Sayuri's heart beat faster. "Itachi.." She just wanted to say his name. When would be the next time she would have the chance to say his name in this manner, quiet and passionate, without giving reason for misinterpreting? The bleep of the monitor showing Itachi's pulse got faster. "Sayuri", he said her name just in the same way (*_Rosario Vampire feeling*_). Something inside her wanted to rip that inhalator from his face and kiss him until he choked. Then the last thing he had said would have been her name.

As if he had read her intentions Seishi tried to solve the situation. "Did your brother really kiss you?" Considering the last conversation the two have had, starting with a sentence with the word "kiss" was rather suspicious. You could even imagine a certain jealousy in his words. "Kiss me? No way he'd do something like that.. I got a few hundred kisses from my mum though.." Sayuri was disappointed. She loved the picture of Sasuke kissing him in her head. She looked at him. He looked at her. "I owe you a few thousand kisses.." And all of a sudden all her compunctions were gone, she bowed down and planted a kiss on Itachi's cheek. The bleep flipped over. Only seconds later the room was filled with nurses. "Oh my gosh! What happened?" "Are you alright?" "He collapses!" "Reanimation! Hurry!"

"I.. I'm fine.." Itachi regained some color in his face and breathed deep and slowly. Seishi couldn't deny himself a mischievous smile. "Oh he said he's fine! That means we can examine him now!"

At the foot of the bed stood her highness Lady Tsunade herself and she didn't seem to be in such a good mood. "But Lady Tsunade.. his pulse.." One of the nurses still took it too seriously. "His pulse is just fine now. What are you doing here?" She drew her attention to Sayuri and Seishi. "You should rest instead of irritating my miracle patient! You'll kill him if you go on like this! After all the effort I put into this." Miracle patient? Yeah he was a miracle. Miracle that he survived, miracle that he woke up. Sayuri and Seishi stepped aside so the number one medical Ninja in Konoha could do her job properly. "OK let's see.. Vital signs are more or less back to normal, reflexes work, now that the girl is on distance pulse and blood pressure are good, too, so.. since you woke up after only three weeks I guess I can say you're out of the woods." Sayuri couldn't believe the good news. Tsunade gave a sign and the nurses started to deal with the tubes and stuff in Itachi's body. "This might hurt a little", one of them said. Itachi sighed. "Just draw it all out.." And so they did. Sayuri knew that it was none too pleasant, but Itachi didn't let on anything. "Well then, let's see how the wounds have healed. The nurses helped Itachi to sat up and before anyone could know it his shirt was taken of and his chest was naked. "Wow.. that's horrible.. you have far too many muscles for a boy your age.." Too true. "That's what you call hard training.." She looked far too young for her age. She could walk far too straight for all this weight she had up there with her huge breasts. "Don't talk back to me! The wounds closed, but the scars will remain. They're pretty ugly and there are so many of them.. good thing the knives were only small. I guess I can remove them.. I actually don't do that but for you.. well.. what's that?" She pointed on a scar on his right shoulder which differed from the others. It was older and bigger. "That would be great.. this one is old. I always had this." Tsunade nodded. "Want it have gone?" Itachi hesitated. "No.. it reminds me of something important." Tsunade shrugged. "Well.. whatever you want. What is it you have to remember that badly?" Itachi stared at the bed. "...I forgot.." Silence. "..I see.. in the end you just want it so you can brag with it, admit it.. however, it's your body.." She started to tamper with his pants to examine the lower part of the body as well and Sayuri decided that she had seen enough for one day.

"It's late already, I'm going home. Good night! Sleep well." "What?" Sayuri thought she misheard something when Seishi actually stood up and turned to go. "WHY?" She grabbed his shirt. He freed himself from her grasp and smiled at her. "Sayuri I've been living in this hospital for three weeks now I have to go home once in a while." "But.. it's my last night.. Seishi only this one night, please." He shook his head. "Sorry Sayuri-chan, but I'm sure you'll survive it. And Itachi is awake now, too. There's nothing you have to worry about. I'll come tomorrow morning and pick you up, ok?" "But..!" "No but." He looked at her. Now that Itachi was back among the livings she was much better. She wouldn't become insane or something. There was no need to worry. She would survive this one night. "See you tomorrow, good night." He left. The door closed behind him. There she was- Alone in her bed. It was dark. It was silent. Too silent. Sayuri tried to remember what she usually did when she couldn't sleep, so she concentrated on the bleep of the monitor. Only that there was no monitor anymore, they removed it. So it was even more silent. She tried to regulate her breathing but it didn't work as well. Creaking. Most likely only the wind, but that has done it. "Itachi? Itachi? Are you awake?" She stared in the direction of Itachi's bed. She couldn't see it though, it was too dark. "No more..", she heard a dozy moaning. "Can I.. Can I come to you? And sleep in your bed?" There was no answer. Sayuri couldn't believe that she actually just asked. "What?" Itachi couldn't believe it as well. Sayuri blushed. The only good thing about the darkness. "You know.. I.. don't like hospitals very much.. I'm pretty.. frightened..", her voice faded and she whispered. "There are people dying in here." That's something to say for someone who had killed ten men with one single blow. "But.. you are a Ninja.. just what did you do the last weeks?" "Well.. you know.. Seishi always stayed with me and held my hand until I fell asleep." The picture of Seishi holding hands with Sayuri did it. "Ok then, come." Sayuri thought a second time if it really was such a good idea, but then she heard another creaking and sneaked out of her bed. This time she could cross the floor without collapsing. The bed was big enough for both of them and they even could remain aloof. Only inches away from Itachi she realized that she hasn't manage to talk with him yet. "Itachi.. I know I'm demanding far too much from you.." "No.. it's alright, really. And you still owe me a few thousand kisses." Sayuri's heart beat faster. "I'll keep that in mind", she smiled. She wasn't ready yet for overwhelming him with kisses, but she couldn't wait for. Maybe one or two would hit his lips, by accident of course. "You don't have to though, since I fell through your test." What test? Sayuri needed some time to remember their last real conversation. Back then, when she had been so sure Itachi and Seishi were a couple. "Oh.. I.. sorry I lied..actually you passed.. if you really had been gay you would've been able to kiss me because it wouldn't have meant anything to you.. so.. I don't think you're gay." Thinking back Sayuri had behaved like a big, big idiot. That's been so childish. Now she really felt embarrassed. Itachi didn't say anything. That sounded quite plausible to him. When he just thought that he had actually nearly kissed her.. "I see.. good, then you know that I never wanted to steal Seishi from you. You can have him.." She couldn't. But this had some other reason. Some reason Itachi couldn't explain. "No.. No I don't want him.. I mean.. He's my best friend.. the best friend I ever had. And I really doubt his.. preferences." "Seishi? Are you sure? Just look at his.. past." Past wouldn't be the right word. He had asked out every single girl from school and it didn't stop until now. Every time Itachi saw him he had another one with him. "You think so? I was always pretty sure that he only tries to assimilate his sick affection towards you by confronting himself with the opposite over and over again." That's a very interesting way to look at it. Itachi started to laugh. To hear something like that from Sayuri's mouth. Only to imagine it. "I can't believe it! Are you really.. _laughing?_" Although he didn't practice it that often, his laughing was still wonderful. Itachi stopped laughing when he saw something strange on Sayuri's neck. Some dark marks. "These marks. Are they still from.. but they're new. Who did this to you?" Sayuri flinched. She had already forgotten about those. But what should she do? Telling him his so called best friend did this to her? "It's nothing.." Itachi didn't seem to be convinced. "Itachi.. I owe you my life. Thank you so much. And I'm so sorry for all those mean things I said to you. I hope you can forgive me.. and we.. we can make a new start.. and be friends.. because I.." _I love you. I love you. I love you. _"I.. don't hate you." That's not quite the same. Itachi realized that she was only trying to change the topic, but he didn't want to discuss it any further. "Sure. I'd love to." _Love. _He said _love._ Sayuri didn't care about the context, only the word made her body prickle. She whispered something which sounded like _I'm so happy _and her eyes closed. She fell asleep.

While she was sleeping, her chest went up and down as she breathed. Itachi found himself staring at it, but it couldn't be helped, those hospital clothes were pretty revealing. And she was eight. Eight. He was eight and he couldn't get his eyes from her. Her silver hair shone in the moonlight, her face was so beautiful, perfect. No way he could sleep now. He wanted to touch her, he knew her skin was soft and silky, but he wanted to feel it again. He wanted to lay his arms around her and press her to his chest. He wanted to get his thousand kisses, right now. _Blessed is the man who endures temptation. _(So? Who knows that phrase? The one who tells me where it's from gets a cookie ;) ) If that was true, what would he be then? A saint? An angel? God himself? The smell of lilies didn't make it any better. After a while he gave in and wrapped his arms around her. She didn't wake up. What would she do if she woke up before him? Itachi didn't think about it. He just wanted to be as close as possible.

Friends? That meant a great progress. And who knew? Maybe, some day, he could hold her just like that whenever he wanted to, maybe, he could tell her things he had never dared to tell her. And maybe there would come the day that they crossed the line of friendship and started something bigger, something greater, and he'd be able to kiss her on her lips and she'd return his kiss and.. but for now he had to settle for holding her and burying his face in her hair and hoping she won't wake up.

_**AGE EIGHT FINISHED**_

_I hope it wasn't too hokey.._

_So next chapter they'll be ten.. please don't expect it too early.. I've procrastinated all my school stuff and now I have a huge mountain of things to do.. _

_*Drowns in self-pity* _

_But be sure to read it, you know, Itachi became chuunin at the age of 10 and many other things are to happen!_


	13. Restart

_Hi! After more than two weeks I'm finally back! Only to give you a rather short chapter and to tell you that the next chap will take its time, too.._

_You know, I really can't say I'm short of work and next week I'll be in Oslo and don't have any time to write.. so please understand_

_And.. another thing.. sometimes I feel like my english isn't that bad.. but then I get my exam and see.. well I've been quite wrong.._

_so if you realize some grave mistakes which make the story absolutely senseless please tell me so!_

_I say this even though I know nobody will bother telling me.. I'm pathetic_

_Will you at least tell me when I cross the line.. the line of pain.. because I guess I'm overdoing it with pointing out Itachi's perfection.. But I can't stop o.O_

_But I think I can already stop telling you that Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, can I?_

* * *

**Restart**

**Two Years later**

"_Why? Why did you do this?" Sayuri stared disbelieving at Itachi's body bending over her. The broad sharp sword, which had actually been meant for her, pierced his stomach. Blood was everywhere. But Sayuri couldn't get her eyes from his face. He shook his head. "I.. have to protect you.." Where did this sword come from? Who had thrown it? Why? And since when was a rock behind her back? She couldn't remember. And she didn't care. She only cared about Itachi. "But.. this wound.. you shouldn't have done this.. you'll die!" What should she do? "It doesn't matter.. You have to live.." Itachi's voice was weak. He had a hard time to remain conscious. "No.. no.. stop caring about me! We have to treat you! We have to bring you back!" Where were they anyway? "It's too late.. I'll die.." "NO" "Sayuri.." The sound of his voice whispering her name. She loved it. She loved it so much. But now was not the time to be crazy about something like that. They were in danger. Itachi was in danger. "I'm sorry.. It's too late.. but.. can you do me one last favor before I die?" Of course she would! Everything! "Itachi.." When he heard his name a faint smile played on his lips. Oh, how much she loved it. "Will you.. kiss me? So I can die in peace?" Sayuri's heart beat faster and faster. She panted for air. What happened? She couldn't understand it. As Itachi's face came closer to hers her pulse quickened even more. It was so hot. This feeling in her stomach. And then, when the tip of his nose touched hers and she closed her eyes, she forgot everything around her. That he had a sword in his body – Forgotten. That he'd die – Forgotten. That the whole situation was utterly strange – Forgotten. All she knew and all she cared for was, that his lips were only few, few inches away from hers, and that she wanted to kiss them, so badly._

Sayuri's eyes snapped open. The morning sun enlightened her room and tickled her face. The hard rock behind her back had turned into a soft warm bed and Itachi was gone. He had never been there. But the feeling staid, her heart still beat fast and it was so hot. She was completely out of breath. "A.. dream?" She should be glad, glad that Itachi wouldn't die, but somehow she was disappointed. Disappointed that it hadn't been real and disappointed that she has woken up before Itachi's lips had reached hers. But she should have been happy. After all, there were a lot more romantic ways for a first kiss. And so she drew a deep breath and winked to get used to the light. Just when she had calmed down a bit, a single look at the clock was enough to upset her again. "KYAAA! I'm too late!" In a quite remarkable speed she put her dress on, brushed her hair and teeth and put up her make-up. Only the most necessary of course. Then she rushed down the stairs and through the living room, where her brother spent his free day with reading dirty books and thinking of a way to drink coffee without taking his mask off. When she saw him sitting there, calm like ever, she got angry. "Why didn't you wake me up?", she screamed at him. Kakashi drew his attention from his book to his hysterical little sister and looked at her puzzled. Then his gaze changed into an strange, somehow angry expression. "Well, I tried a couple of times but you kept moaning something like _Itachi, Itachi _the whole time." Sayuri went red. "Sh-Shut up! You're such an idiot!" With these words she slamed the doors behind her. "If this Itachi guy ever even thinks about touching you, I'll kill him!", he yellled after her and before he started to read again, he shook his head and sighed. "What's so wrong about coming too late every now and then, anyway?"

"You're -" "- too -" " - late!" Those teachers.. one day she'll definitely kill them! Every single one of them! And she'll enjoy it. Who did they think they were? Coming here telling her she was too late. They were supposed to help them in their missions but all they did was going somewhere, eating and drinking coffee and then complaining about every little thing. But Sayuri had no time to think about it. "Morning!", Itachi yawned. When she saw him, she had to think of her dream immediately and her heart restarted jumping. He smiled at her, looked at her with his dark black eyes. He was so perfect with his snow white skin and the amazing body. But no, NO, she had to do something before she fell back into situation A. "Stop making fun of me!", she shouted and turned away from him as if she was offended. Itachi was confused. Did he do something wrong? He didn't and Sayuri knew that pretty well. But there was no other way. Usually, during the two years, she managed to treat Itachi like a friend. To talk with him normally, laugh with him, even touch him without any bad intentions. Yet, sometimes it happened, that Sayuri reached her limits. These scenarios happened mostly when she had such dreams of Itachi. Then she completely spaced out and stared at Itachi for about five minutes. Sometimes she even started to drool. That's what she called situation A and occurred, like already said, after she had had such dreams or when Itachi removed his hair tie and ran his hand over his black hair. That was so super embarrassing but fortunately Sayuri managed to explain it with stuff like sleep deprivation, dehydration and/or starvation diet. In most cases, everyone was really concerned about her saying this, which could lead to situation B. Situation B occurred, when Itachi then told her she should look after herself more carefully, smiled at her encouraging and laid his cold hand on her forehead to check if she had fever. Then it wasn't rare, that Sayuri went red and collapsed at the spot. Here would work the same excuses like in A, in addition with circuit problems. And then, of course, last but not least embarrassing, there was situation C. Situation C had occurred once, when it had started to rain horribly during a mission. Until they had found some shelter, they had already been completely soaked. Actually seeing Itachi's shirt adhering to his body and revealing every single defined muscle would have automatically lead to either situation A or B but before she had had the chance to do anything, he had, selfishly and without even thinking for a second about being considerate of Sayuri, taken his drenched shirt off. So situation C appears as follows: First Sayuri's mind switches itself off and cedes absolute control over the body. The next moment, Sayuri realizes that her arms are wrapped around Itachi's naked body, yet she can't do anything to stop it, not even when she presses her head against his chest and keeps rubbing it upwards and downwards. Yes, situation C had been quite hard to explain. Sayuri still wasn't sure whether she should be grateful or angry at Seishi when he said "Are you cold?" and hugged her from behind so she was trapped in between two ten-years-old, well trained, wet, manly bodies. And Itachi still wasn't sure whether he should really believe that all Sayuri wanted was to warm herself up.

And as the only way to avoid those situation was to be angry at Itachi and shout at him, Sayuri absolutely ignored him while following after the teachers. Even though she felt sorry for Itachi, who was still wondering what he had done wrong and started to become depressed.

"Don't take it personally. She only has her period." Seishi started to show-off with his irrelevant knowledge about women again. "Are you sure? Isn't she a little bit too young for that?" Itachi had no idea what they were talking about but he really didn't care. "Look at her body! Do you really think it gives a damn about her age?" One look at her ass let Itachi know that he was right. "But does that give her the right to act like that?" Itachi was slightly offended. Every time when he thought they'd get along she came and proved him the opposite. "Be a little more understanding. Right now she suffers under horrible mood swings and incredible stomach cramps! Not to mention the unbearable headache and the drastic circuit problems." Itachi was shocked. He looked at Sayuri. She was walking in front of them and it didn't seem like she had any pain. "Are you sure?" "Women are perfect in hiding it." Seishi nodded knowingly. "But.. that's horrible! Do you think she'll collapse again?" Seishi shrugged. "There is a high possibility. Just think about the _immense _blood loss" Now Itachi really was worried. "_Immense _blood loss? How much is _immense _exactly?" "Well.. _immense! _A few liters at least!" Itachi didn't know what he should think of that. Seishi said many things when the day was long, after all. "Why do you know all that?" "Well.. unlike some other ignorants, _I_ am interested in the female race." Ouch.. "Wouldn't hurt you either, then you wouldn't drop one blunder after another." Well Itachi couldn't deny that he was right. He really managed it quite often to make Sayuri angry.

"Sensei? Where are we going to?" Sayuri started to become impatient. She couldn't get rid of the feeling that the boys behind her kept staring at her ass, but she didn't dare to turn around and check.

"Inscribing you.. didn't we tell you?" That's what she hated the most about them, you never knew their mood. Sometimes they went crazy and behaved like little children, and sometimes they were super serious. And never, _never _they bothered telling them what they were actually about to do. Not when they had a mission, not when they went eating something and not now. "Inscribing us? In what?" Was it so hard to be a little more specific? "In what? Well in the list for the chuunin exam, of course, what else?" Sayuri, Seishi and Itachi stopped moving at once. "Chuunin exam? Are you serious?" Itachi didn't really think so. It wouldn't be the first time they were made fun of.

Well, E! wasn't joking and G! and A! were of the same opinion. The only way to get rid of three annoying brats who didn't get the difference between "killing" and "arresting" was to make them Chuunin.

And so it happened that our three young friends got a special permission from the Hokage to take place in the dangerous, frightening Chuunin exams. They knew they would risk their lives, they knew there was a high possibility that they wouldn't make it. But as they were sick of boring missions and their teachers, they had enough motivation to accept the kind offer. They've become stronger, after all, far stronger than they had ever been and it was the time to prove it. Prove it their families, the village and themselves. Though, when they put their names on the list, they didn't know anything. Back then, they couldn't imagine in their wildest dreams what was waiting for them and what bloody secrets were to be revealed.

* * *

_Unlucky number thirteen finished ;)_

_I know, it was short.. I know I'm too slow_

_but come on beside the bad english and the bad jokes it's ok, right?_

_Please keep on reading :D_


	14. Truth

_And now something you get so you have something to read^^_

_I actually wanted to put this at the end of Age 8, but.. the other end was kinda better so I left it out._

_So here you are, it's all I can load up until I have some new charas_

_hope you'll like it_

_So now again:_

_**Please help me!**_

_**Wanted: Extras**_

_Send me your **character proposal **ASAP_

_I still need **2 teams → 4 boys, 2 girls **(my sis already wanted to make a team)_

_think of it as an **once in a lifetime chance**_

_be creative and help.. only this way I'll be able to go on_

_thank you thank you thank you_

_Masashi Kishimoto 4ever_

**Truth**

**Two years earlier – Several weeks after the incidents**

Itachi sighed when he saw the floor leading towards Hokage-sama's room. He felt quite uneasy and sick even though his injuries had finally healed and he was supposed to have fully recovered.

He would have rather stayed in the hospital for quite a while. Since Tsunade-hime felt compelled to telling Itachi's parents that they found nicotine in his blood, life at home had become quite troublesome.

Now he had to see her once a week so she could test whether he was still clean. And this in a time when he could need several glasses of beer and the one or the other cigarette. His father had blamed Sayuri and Seishi, of course, for being bad company and wanted the Hokage to withdraw him from the team. Itachi, on the other hand, wasn't very thrilled of this idea. So now he could come here, personally, to, first, tell the old pighead that he was able to start with missions again, second, convincing him that he wanted to carry out these missions with his team and third, that he was certain the nicotine in his blood was some kind of a mistake and whether Tsunade might have the kindness to stop tormenting him with her examinations. This was simply to much for one day. Itachi sighed again. This promised to become interesting.

When Itachi stood in front of the door he took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock. But before he got to touch the door, he heard voices from inside.

"Do you think you can fool us? Don't even try it! There's no mistake! It bears obviously _its _signature!" Itachi didn't knew the voice. It sounded old, most likely one of the elders. "Indeed.. no animal or ordinary ninja is able to deal that easily with such a high ranked jonin. And the state of the corpse.. it leaves no room for alternatives." Hokage-sama?

"But that's impossible!", an angry old woman. Itachi recognized the voice as the advisor. "You should have been sealed back then! It was the only way we were able to endure your presence in the village! The seal! What's with the seal?" She seemed to be quite stirred up. Itachi even thought he heard some trace of fear in her voice. What was the meaning of this?

"Calm down, Koharu. So tell us now. Have you been sealed or not?" Itachi started to become nervous. What seal? Did it have something to do with the Kyuubi? Everyone knew that it was sealed in that Naruto boy. Did it weaken? Would they be attacked again?

"We have been sealed, of course. Otherwise we wouldn't be here now.. it's just..." Itachi knew that voice. But whereof? It didn't belong to that boy.. but... just where did he hear that voice before?

"My brother wants to say that my seal is different from his. It's.. not absolute.. it leaks in certain situations." SAYURI? Now he remembered. The other voice belonged to her brother, Kakashi. But what was she doing in there? What did they talk about? What fucking seal?

"That's unacceptable! It mustn't leak! Never! We have to overwrite it!" "Indeed!" "She's right!"

"NO!" Just what was Sayuri doing? Itachi didn't understand the situation, but.. she couldn't just talk back to the elders like that.

"It _can't _be overwritten." Confuse mumbling beyond the elders. "I'm afraid she's right. If it had been possible to overwrite it, we would have done it long ago." Her brother agreed with her.

"Then we simply erase it and put a new on it!" "No, it can neither be overwritten nor erased." Sayuri sounded strange. Angry and filled with bitterness, and somehow she sounded sad. As if she would break into tears any minute now. "There's only one person who could do that and that's the one who put the seal on me in the first place!"

Nobody seemed to be quite happy about Sayuri's answer. Everyone made a derisively sound. Sayuri sobbed. Now she really cried. "And.. and furthermore.." "Sayuri!", her brother hissed at her as if he tried to prevent her from saying what she wanted to say.

"NO! I want it to be as it is! Without this.. without this.. power.. me.. and Itachi, we'd be dead now! I won't let you take it away from me. I won't let you tell me who I ought to be! I'm not.. I'm not a mon-!" "SAYURI! It's enough!" Kakashi interrupted her abrasively. "Apologize to the elders!" "But.." Sayuri sounded desperate. Itachi didn't know what to feel. He felt sorry for her, but he didn't understand how she could be so disrespectful.

"Just do it already!", Kakashi shouted at her. "I.. I'm sorry." She was reluctant but she did it. "All right, now. Go. We'll see what we do." The Hokage tried to get rid of them as soon as possible before the situation was to escalate.

Itachi startled and made a step backwards when the door burst open and Kakashi left the room. He threw a killing glance at him when he saw Itachi and walked past him. Behind him he dragged Sayuri. She winced at his sight and tried to hide her face from him. But it had already been too late. He had already seen her face soaked in tears and her red, swollen eyes. A while after her followed a man, his face was half covered with bandages and he had a scar on his chin. Then came the two advisors. Everyone gave him a brief, dismissive look. Only the Hokage stayed behind. And only the Hokage seemed to have still the nerve to smile at him. "Itachi. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Itachi never talked about the things he had heard that day with Sayuri. He never asked her about the seal or what she had meant by all the things she said. He knew it would hurt her. He knew it was something she didn't want to talk about. So he staid silent. He just endured the uncertainty he had. And all the questions he had in his mind.

What was the truth?

What was the truth about the day he had nearly died? What was the truth about the way the man had died? What was the truth about the way he had survived though he had been hurt so bad?

And, above all, what was the truth about Sayuri? What was the truth about her brother? What was the truth about her family? What was the secret they hid? What was up with this "seal"?

So many questions in his head. And one more: Will he ever discover it? The truth?

_You want to know that too?_

_Then send me your characters ;)_

_See ya_


	15. Perfect teamwork

_Here is it, the first part of the chuunin exams!_

_I didn't introduce any new teams because nobody send me some yet.._

_so if you want to you have still the chance to send me_

_if you want_

_please_

_I really need them for the forest_

_I still don't have my vacation.. whole germany is on vacation but bavaria.. tss_

_I don't like that.. I'm dying at school_

_so.. right.. sorry sorry sorry_

_I really don't need to annoy somebody by writing contentless chapters_

_I just feel like you'll forget me if I don't post something from time to time_

_so please enjoy this chapter ;)_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto_

* * *

**Perfect teawork**

**The day of the written exams**

"Did all of you understand the rules? Then let the first exam start! You have one hour!" With those words the evil looking examiner started the first part of the threepart chuunin exam, the written one. A written exam? Seishi was horrified when he heard that. He had been so sure, that once he had finished school, all of that written crap would be over, that he would never have to touch a pencil again. Now honestly, that was so senseless. What do you need this for? Seishi had never heard of a Ninja who checked the wind direction, the speed, the distance, the weight of the Kunai in detail and started to calculate using a large, complicated formula, how hard he should throw it so the weapon would reach its destination in a stipulated time. If you really acted like that, in real life you'd be dead in no time. That had something to do with feeling and experience, not with theoretical mathematics. But he had no choice. He had to do it.

Only one look at the sheet of paper made him moan. What the..? What was up with those questions? Did they learn this at school? Most likely not! It was exactly as he meant.

_You stand on a 10 meter high tree, your enemy is 20 meters distant to you on the ground. You have light contrary wind with the velocity of less than 10 km/h, your Kunai weighs 500 grams, you throw it by using 50% of your maximum power, the trajectory forms a parable. How much time has your enemy to notice the attack and dodge it?_

Well, much time. Just imagine a Ninja, standing on a tree holding a Kunai in his hand and desperately trying to remember the formula and then doing number work by head.. maybe he gives it up and draws a calculator from somewhere and starts to type. Seishi shook his head. This was really ridiculous. Usually he'd quit now and go home, but unfortunately the others were counting on him. This was a team exercise after all, any point by any team member counted. And with those questions it seemed that he was the only one to gather some points. Good thing it was easy for him, he was a genius.

He looked at the question a second time. 10 meter high, 20 meter distance, contrary wind, bla bla, parable.. bla bla. Seishi shook his head again, then wrote the answer on the paper. _5_.

It was such a simple number, but Seishi was sure the others wouldn't come that far. Sayuri was sure to back out after the first three words, he didn't want to call her stupid, but her head went black if there were more than two numbers. And Itachi, well Itachi was a genius, a real one. He had a huge intellectual potential. Yet he wouldn't be able to answer the question, even if he would find a way to solve it. The problem only was.. he was far too lazy.

Itachi sighed. His gaze was oscillating between the sheet with the questions and Seishi sitting two rows in front of him and letting his pen slide over the paper in incredible speed. He wasn't really understanding what was written on there, was he? Itachi looked at question number one. Such crap. There was sure a pretty easy way to solve it and Itachi was sure he would make it if he gave it some serious thought. But his brain went on strike. Where had all the motivation gone he had had at the beginning? This was one of these situations Itachi wondered how much more comfortable it would be if he was dead. No exams, no thinking, no nothing. It had to be a nice life once you were dead.

When Itachi found himself thinking of all that crap only to distract himself from the questions he sighed again. _Come on now, get serious. Just think of your fathers face if you fail, _he thought.

So Itachi pulled himself together. He knew exactly how to deal with such kind of questions.

First you had to gather everything you know: 10 meters high tree, 20 meters distance, he had no choice, there was so much depending on this, he can't lose to Seishi, his father will scold him, Sayuri will mess up for sure so he had to cut some losses, contrary wind,... oh just fuck it. There were only two things he had to know to solve the problem: First, he had to find the answers for this test, second, he was an Uchiha. With those thought he had no bad conscience when he ignored all the examiners and watchdogs staring at the examinees, activated his Sharingan and copied Seishi's moves so he had his answers on his sheet as well. Just perfect. He solved the problem and didn't even have to think that much. Itachi was very satisfied with himself. Now the only issue left was Sayuri.

Sayuri was close to tears. She had been staring now at the questions for 10 minutes. She felt dizzy and sick, the numbers and words were dancing and jumping in front of her eyes, up and down, in circles, everywhere. She didn't get anything. No single word made sense to her. There was no way she would make it. She wouldn't answer one single question, would lose any single point and she and the boys were done for. She just needed one point and Itachi and Seishi would have gathered enough they'd pass. But if she had zero points, it was useless. And she wasn't confident that she'd answer even one question, not even mysterious question number 10 being asked 45 minutes after the start. She buried her head in her hands to make the number dance stop. If they won't make it.. it would all be her fault. They'll hate her. Itachi will hate her. She sobbed. No, she had to give it another try. She was a Kunoichi, there was no way she'd give up that easily. Hesitant she opened her eyes and caught another glimpse through her fingers. The first question. _You stand on a 10 meter high tree, your enemy is 20 meters distant to you.._

Nooo.. the words spun on the paper. It was no use.. it was futile.. there was only one way to handle this! She had to cheat.

Just when the thought crossed her mind, another number was called, another person stood up, another team was forced to leave the room. Minute by minute the number of people in here was reduced.

If she was to be caught, it was over for them immediately. Now she felt his pervading eyes even more. Why? WHY? Why of all people, all Ninjas in this village, had her brother to be chosen to be one of the supervisors? Why did he have to be responsible for _her _row? And why the hell couldn't Kakashi act like a normal brother and go easy on her? No, he had to stare at her stare at her continuously without leaving any movement unnoticed so she had no chance at all to help herself to the answers.

But she wouldn't be his sister if she didn't know a way to distract him and to get the information she needed. She just had to wait for the right moment.

_**20 minutes later -**_

- following things happened at the very same time:

First – Sayuri had waited patiently for using her special Jutsu. She kept sitting there in front of her blanc sheet without moving a single inch. And of course her brother had started to become nervous and worried. And even though only half an hour had passed since the beginning of the exam, Sayuri suddenly felt that it was time. She had to do it now or never. And she had to do it with _his_, only this way she could have been sure that the answers were right. Of course she felt sorry for him but there just was no other way. _Mission start! Step one: Distraction of the watchdog. _

Sayuri finally started to move again. She took the paper and used it as a fan as if she was really hot and close to melting away. Then she placed it back on the table and started to play with her hair. When she gave that up, too, she opened the first few buttons of her shirt until her breast was half exposed, then started to breath deep and slowly. Her chest went up and down. Finally! Now was her chance! From the corner of her eye she saw Kakashi blushing and ashamedly turning his eyes from her. As expected, there had been no way he could look at his own sister like this. _Step two: Releasing the Jutsu._

Quickly she formed the finger signs beneath the table. A few seats next to her she heard his voice. "I'm fin-" Sayuri couldn't deny herself a faint smile. It was so mean, but she simply had no choice. And now she even was gleeful.. how spiteful of her.

Second – Itachi laid his pen next to the sheet. Not bad of Seishi that he finished it in only half an hour. But now he had a problem, he had the first two questions missing. Why didn't he copy Seishi's movement from the very beginning? Now what should he do? He didn't think there were any guys who were still working on the first questions. He let his gaze wander across the room.. and stopped at Sayuri. What was she doing? Somebody should tell her that this sheet of paper wasn't meant as a fan but as a test and she should answer the questions. Now all his problems solved itselves. On Sayuri's test sheet was no single word and she didn't look like she intended to write anything on it the next 30 minutes, they'd fail anyway, whether he had the first two questions or not. Why did she do this anyway? It wasn't even hot in her! It was rather cold actually. He shook his head.

He didn't trust his eyes. What was she doing now? The way she let her fingers run through her hair. Itachi wasn't aware that this was some kind of peep show. What was she planning to achieve? Did she hope the examiner would let her pass if she just made him get off on her. He didn't look like he'd really pay any attention to her. The one who was supposed to pay attention to her was the supervisor of her row who seemed to be.. her brother. Right. WTF? Itachi started to lose all faith in humankind. He should just ignore her.. If only it had been so easy to get his eyes off her.

Third – Seishi smiled proudly at his filled sheet of paper. Although he hated that kind of test, he really did well. He was most likely the first finished in this room filled with guys all older than him. That made him even prouder. Maybe he should raise his hand only to let everyone know that he was smarter than them. Even though it was no use because he still had to wait for question 10. But still.. maybe knowing that Seishi had already finished would give Itachi and Sayuri some hope and motivation. He was pretty sure they were already deeply depressive and close to suicide because they didn't get any further. Maybe his rays of wisdom could reach them and enlighten their deep darkness.

So he had a bright grin on his lips and shone like the sun when he opened his mouth to form the words. "I'm fin-" He didn't get to end his sentence. He was interrupted by the sudden sight of his carefully completed test sheet bursting into red flames, burning and burning and burning and leaving nothing behind than a little pile of ashes. Seishi's smile was gone. "What is it?", the examiner wanted to know. "Ehm..", it took Seishi a while to find his voice again, "I just wanted to ask if I can have a new sheet.. mine.. burnt.. just now." It wasn't hard for the more than strict examiner to stop the roaring laughter the rest of the Genin in the room broke into. Seishi wasn't in the mood to laughing. There was only one thought running through his mind, only one name: _Sayuri._

That girl named Sayuri didn't care for the strange misfortune of her teammate. She had enough fun looking at the little, beautiful red flames dancing across her test sheet and leaving Seishi's answers behind them. Her brother stared at her angrily. He wasn't angry at her because he knew she cheated. He was angry at himself that he let himself being distracted this easily and being fooled by this Jutsu. It was him who had taught it her after all. But Sayuri didn't care. Even though he knew she was the one who had burnt Seishi's sheet, he couldn't do anything about it. He hadn't caught her red-handed.

So, in the end, Sayuri got all her answers, Seishi managed to finish his sheet a second time and Itachi was able to copy the first two questions he had needed from him. That's what you called teamwork! So everything turned out just well.

It didn't matter after all, since in question number 10 the whole exam turned out to be a fake, only a test how good they could gather information and everyone who didn't run away when the examiner started to threaten to keep everyone who wasn't able to answer the last question on Genin level for a lifetime, passed automatically. The only thing was, that this wasn't very much. In the end, only six teams, including ours, remained in the room. One looking more dangerous and talented than the other.

And there were still two exams to go.

* * *

_Just in case that someone is of the opinion that Sayuri is a bitch.._

_I can't deny it.. she really acts like one_

_well.. but.. maybe some of you like her anyway :)_

_I hope you still want to know how it will go on.. _

_keep on reading :D_


	16. The calm before the storm

_my posting times start to get irregular.. but that's only because of the vacation :)_

_yay vacation! finally!_

_this is something what should be funny before it gets bloody again.._

_I hope you like it :)_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto_

**_

* * *

_****_The calm before the storm_**

The room was silent. Everyone held his breath and stared at the examiner all on edge. What was going to happen now? What would the second test be about?

"Congratulations, you passed the first exam. But this was only the start! Now there are only six teams, but after the second exam, no more than three teams will be left. It is going to be the greatest challenge you all ever had and there's a high chance to be killed. Are you ready for that?"

The eighteen people in the room nodded in unison. So the next exam had a scrap rate of 50%? Seemed to become quite hard.

"The next exam will require all your abilities, all your nerves, all your capabilities. It will push you to and beyond your limits and no one will be there to help you! Are you still sure you're ready for that?"

A few people started to hesitate, but still everyone nodded a second time.

"Well then.. any more questions?", the examiner didn't look like he'd answer any questions, so it was even more surprising when Seishi raised his hand. "What?" The examiner seemed to be quite surprised, too, that someone actually dared to ask something.

"Well..", Seishi started, "I just wanted to know whether we have any time to go shopping beforehand.. I'm afraid I happen to be out of shuriken..." Seishi didn't seem to know what he was doing. "You.. YOU GO TO THE CHUUNIN EXAM WITHOUT SHURIKEN?" Now he made him angry. The examiner suddenly stood in front of him and glared at him. Nobody wanted to be in his shoes now. The tall man, with all his scars in his face didn't look like someone you can make fun of. "Ehm.. Yes... sir!" Seishi was daunted, yet not daunted enough. "Are you playing jokes on me?" "No, sir!"

"YOU WANNA MAKE ME SEND YOU HOME TO YOUR MOMMY?" "That'd be nice, sir, but therefor you'd have to kill me." Seishi said it with a straight face. He was neither frightened anymore, nor did he look like he was hurt or sad. He and the examiner stared at each other for another few seconds with determined eyes, then the examiner gave in and sighed. "Well then.. you all have 30 minutes. Do whatever you like. We'll meet in exactly 30 minutes from now in front of the 44th exercise area. Anyone who comes only one second too late will be disqualified!"

"Pleeaaaase! Pleeeeaaaaase!" "I said NO!" Seishi tugged at Itachi's shirt and looked at him with wide and wet eyes. "Oh please, my nice and lovely Itachi, please! There's no time!" "Yeah and that's why you should get going." Itachi didn't pay any attention to Seishi and freed his shirt from his grab. "But you know I have no mone-" "SHHHT! I want to hear that!" Itachi wasn't interested that Seishi needed him, or better his money, to buy some weapons, he was more interested in the conversation between Sayuri and her brother. What would he say about her behavior during the written exam?

"Never ever do that again!" Kakashi didn't look very happy, He wasn't very fond of the idea of his sister acting like a whore, and he was even less fond of that having effect on him. "I'm sorry...but.. I had no other choice.." Sayuri really seemed to be sorry. Her head was let down and she stared at the ground. But Kakashi wasn't satisfied. "There are tons of ways to distract someone _without _taking your clothes off!" "I know... It will never happen again!" Sayuri was desperate. "What?" Seishi was back to normal. He came across the _taking clothes off. _"What are they talking about? What did Sayuri do? Strip? When? Where?" Itachi sighed and shook his head. "There are things you better don't know." Now he was really curious. "What? You know? You saw it? Just tell me! How often did you see Sayuri naked now?" He started to get mad. He got it all wrong. "What the f..? I.." Itachi wanted to say _never. _He had _never _seen Sayuri naked. But then he remembered that was wrong. "Just once..!", he whispered sheepishly. In his head all the pictures he had successfully repressed bubbled up again. "That's still one time to much..", Seishi hissed. He still didn't overcome the happenings two years ago.

"Why did you do that anyway? I told you from the very beginning that it was all just fake!" Kakashi went on scolding his little sister. "Ehm.. I know.. but.."

"WHAT?" Sayuri and Seishi flinched. It was a pretty.. no absolutely rare sight to see Itachi that angry. "You knew it was fake? Why didn't you tell us?" Was it fair to be mad at Sayuri as well? "But.. I.. I wasn't allowed to tell anyb-!" "As if I'd care!" Itachi shouted at her. Sayuri became smaller and smaller. "Why did I go through all that trouble to copy Seishi's solutions?" The reason why an Uchiha usually always was calm and never got angry was, that they completely lost control over their words when they were mad. "You did _what?_" Seishi looked at Itachi. It wasn't an angry or evil glare, it was more a "How-come-a-genius-like-you-has-to-copy-the-solutions-of-an-idiot-like-me"-gaze. In other words, the "You-lose"-gaze. "Ehm.. I can explain that!" Itachi should know better. He should know better that it was too late to explain anything. Seishi just had to squint his eyes a bit more to make Itachi shut up. "Weapon shop! Now!"

* * *

"No.. no you can't be serious. Put them back." Itachi had to make the experience that his desperate attempts to regain the upper hand all fell on deaf ears. "I don't get your problem! We have a very important time ahead. There's nothing wrong about providing yourself with the right equipment." Seishi was all smiles. Who would have thought that shopping was his secret passion?In these points he was just like a girl. And so he behaved just like a girl behaved when she didn't have to pay whatever she shopped for. "Seishi.. I can't imagine this shuriken are any better just because they cost three times the normal ones.. so.. why don't you just stay with the usual?" "But Itachi, you know, I have to make the most of it when some rich guy treats me." Yes, he definitely had his feminine sides. "But.. I'm not rich at all.. and my father will.. NO! What are you doing? Stop that already!" Seishi started to gain interest in some golden kunai with silver patterns, which were obviously not meant for fighting but more for decorative purposes. But Itachi had to realize, that there was nothing he could do. With every second passing Seishi's mood got better and Itachi felt his wallet getting lighter and his father getting angrier. He was done for.

"By the way.. what do you think of Sayuri?" It was crazy. Like in some movie. Two girls go shopping and talk about all the boys they know. Only that it was the other way round. "Sayuri?" There were tons of things coming to his mind when he thought about Sayuri and no single thing seemed to fit in an Uchiha's vocab. In fact the vocab of an Uchiha was pretty limited when it came to girls. There were even some taboo words someone must never take in his mouth. Those words were for example _love, sex _and _hot body_, which included everything from harmless stuff like _hair, eyes _or _lips _up to adult stuff Seishi wanted to hear right now. Stuff Itachi was sure to get his head cut off if his father got to know he even thought it. In the end there was nothing Itachi could say about her.

"She's.. not bad in a fight." That was something like a death sin itself because it was acknowledging of someone without Sharingan eyes and that was something frowned upon in his family.

"She's not bad in a fight? Come on Itachi! You can't be serious! You're are a man aren't you? You can't tell me it leaves you cold! You know what I mean, don't you? Her silver hair, her beautiful eyes, her soft skin, her perfect shaped lips.." Itachi wondered how life would be if he hadn't been born an Uchiha. "Her never ending legs, her sexy butt, her full yet still growing chest.." Seishi accompanied every single word of his with the fitting gesture. Itachi just watched him in silence, just like all the other people in the store, while he was starting to wonder how life would be if he knew neither pride nor shame.

Seishi panted for air. He seemed to get carried away by his own words. "You just want to hug her and kiss her and take her home to your bed.." How long would this last? They only had 15 minutes left and the 44th exercise area wasn't next door. "And then.. then.." Seishi started to gasp, that hard he had already got worked up by himself. "polish her until she shines and use her up to your heart's content til she's dirty again only to polish her again." Itachi got the creeps. This was going way too far. There are things you better keep for yourself! But before Itachi got the chance to tell Seishi so, he noticed that the topic had stopped to be Sayuri long ago. He realized it when Seishi suddenly disappeared and stuck no second later to a glass cabinet at the other end of the floor.

That had been Itachi's chance. It would have been the moment when Itachi should have ran, ran away as fast as he could. Out of the store, maybe out of the village, best out of the country. He should have changed his identity, his name and never returned. But out of curiosity he made a big mistake. He approached the glass cabinet only to see what was so great to make Seishi stopping his enthusiasm for Sayuri.

"Oh my god! I fell in love! You're the one and only! Marry me, oh please, marry me!" Seishi seemed to have fused with the case. He pressed his face against it and spread his arms around it. Itachi watched him with his straight face, then let his gaze drift towards the content. Inside the glass cabinet was a huge, heavy looking ax. "I see you have a very good taste, sir." The shop owner appeared out of nowhere. Usually you would expect, that a reliable shop owner would throw a ten-years-old boy making grease spots with his dirty fingers on his clean glass cabinets right out of the store. But this one seemed to be quite delighted that someone showed so much elation to his battle ax.

The reason for that was more than obvious. Itachi stared at a little label in the lower edge of the cabinet. It looked lost and unimpressive, but its meaning was the opposite. It said, that this ax was worth at least 50 of the golden kunai, in other words, there was no single person in the entire village who could afford it. Itachi's heart sank into his boots. He got a very bad feeling about this.

"We received it recently. It was a custom product for an awesome ninja, but now he's already dead. It's 100% hand made. The 170cm handhold has a indestructible steel core, encased with the best exotic woods. The blade has a surface area of nearly 2000cm² and consists of special, hard to produce, metal alloys making it extra stable and so sharp that it can even cut through diamond!" Itachi's stomach started to churn and he felt dizzy. He had to do something. With every word the seller said, Seishi's eyes became bigger. "Furthermore, the best craftsmen of the whole world worked on the defined patterns on the blade made of gold and platinum. The little stones you see are rubies and sapphires."

Seishi seemed to be knocked for a loop. "It's not that great at all.. more for some brainless warriors but not for Ninjas." "Oh but the whole ax is pervaded with a fine net of chakra metal reacting on any element affinity and supporting Jutsu. It works best with doton, though, which makes it even stronger and nearly invincible." Seishi was close to tears. Itachi as well. "Did you hear that Itachi? That's my element! It was made for me!" He started to kiss the glass cabinet. "But.. but it's far to heavy for you! You won't be able to carry it at all, it will hinder your movements and slow you down. You'll be dead any second." "Oh yes, it's heavy indeed. But when it's infused with chakra, the materials react and lighten so it can be easily carried and restrict the movements as little as possible." Seishi was in heaven now. Itachi in hell. "B-but.. t-there.." There had to be something. Something negative about the ax convincing Seishi. "Not to mention..", the shop owner started again. "Would you please shut up?" Itachi hissed. "Come on Seishi, this is ridiculous. Let's go!" He tried to grab Seishi and drag him away from his new big love. Now, in this state, it would have even been possible, but Itachi had quite bad luck.

"I-ta-chi-chan! I finally now what I want." Itachi stopped in the middle of his action. Seishi happened to have remembered that they had been going shopping and that Itachi was the one who was to pay.

"Hell no! I'm ok with buying you as much expensive shuriken as you want, I'll even buy you one or two of those golden kunai, but NOT that thing, NO, NEVER, DREAM ON!""But Itachi, darling, you promised me." Seishi smiled at him. He was self-confident.. too self-confident. "I'm not your darling and I promised you nothing! What do you think my father will say if I spent so much money for a guy?" "Just tell him we're a couple and you bought it for me as a present." "That will not help at all!" "Why?" Seishi's eyes widened as if he still took himself seriously and was honestly surprised. "Does your father have something against gays?" Itachi felt like he was caught in some horrible nightmare. That just couldn't be true. Was there any way to get out there without loosing? Without loosing everything? His money? His pride? His reputation? His esteem? The trust of his father? Everything started to vanish into thin air in front of Itachi's eyes. "I won't buy it! Over my dead and rotten body!" "Listen.." Seishi's expression changed. Along with his whole character. He realized he got stuck with his puppy eyes tactic and had to change strategy. He came closer to Itachi, grabbed his shoulder and laid his lips on his ear. "It's not as if you won't get anything back", he whispered. "You want to bribe me?" Itachi tried to keep his voice calm. He did his best to react as indifferent as possible and not let on that Seishi's touch made him sick and unwell. "Oh no.. no. I'd never even think about something like that! I just.. you know.." He kept his voice low and as the distance between his lips and Itachi's ear was so little, it tickled horribly.

"..You know it's quite hard to get butts and booze here in Konoha especially when your only ten years old. But I have my possibilities. What do you say? Unlimited goods? For a lifetime? For free?" "That _is _bribery." Itachi knew that Seishi had hit some spot there. And Itachi hated it. He hated that he had nothing against drowning his sorrows with cigarettes and beer, he hated that Seishi knew that and he hated that he felt quite attracted to his offer.

"Ah.. maybe your right.. let's try something else." He walked around Itachi to the other side, not moving his hand from his shoulder. Then he laid his lips on his other ear.

"Wouldn't it be a shame if your father came to know that his son has a fable for forbidden stuff? For drugs and booze? What do you think? What would he say? What would Tsunade-hime say if she learned she had always been right?" "That's extortion. You're going too far! Who do you think you're talking to?" Now he started being sassy. And he had some good points there.

"Oh no, Itachi, your getting me all wrong. I'd never sell out my friend! And we are friends, aren't we?" Seishi stepped back and smiled at him. But it was no "We-are-friends"-smile. Of course, it wasn't. This mischievous smile of him meant checkmate, game over. And the smile of the shop owner said: by cash or by card?

* * *

There are days just everything goes wrong. "3, 2, 1,.." "STOOOPP! WE'RE HERE!" Seishi ran as fast as he could with his new, half a ton ax. Itachi tagged along. "You're lucky. One second later and I would have had to disqualify you two and your teammate." Sayuri sat on a stone behind the examiner. She looked quite delighted. She must have been really worried. "I hope you know that's all your fault! We would have been just in time if you hadn't made such a fuss and bought the ax from the very start." Itachi bit on his lip and ignored Seishi. One day.. one day he'd pay for it all.

"There you are! How dare you making me worry like that? What took you so long?", Sayuri walked towards them with an angry look on her face. But the anger didn't last long. "What's that? Wooow.. cooooool. Wasn't that expensive?" She admired Seishi's new weapon and he presented it with all his pride. "That's not worth mentioning.", he shrugged. Itachi acted as if he hadn't heart anything, but in his mind he was already dancing on Seishi's grave. No, he wasn't dancing, he was _spitting. _Yes, _spitting _was cooler. He was _spitting _on Seishi's grave.

Not to imagine what would have happened if Itachi wouldn't have made the shop owner accepting that he'd pay by installments. His strategy was quite foolproof, though. All he had to do was letting the seller see the Uchiha crest on his shirt and then saying something like: I wonder when the last inspection of this place was? It had his advantages when your family was the police at the same time.

"Ok.. my work is done here. With immediate effect the second examiner will take over. Good luck!"

With these words the examiner disappeared and another men appeared out of nowhere. ( A/N: I guess Anko was still to young back then.)

"Well then, everyone. I'm the second examiner. Nice to meat. Welcome to 44th exercise area, welcome to shi no mori, the forest of death." Everyone held his breath. Forest of death? Didn't sound that good.

"The rules of the second exam are simple: Every team gets a scroll. There are two scrolls: Earth and heaven. The task is to get both scrolls and go to the tower in the middle of forest. If you make this you pass. You have three days. Got that? Any questions?" "Yes.. sir? Does this mean.. we have to take the second scroll from other teams?", some nervous looking guy asked. "Well yes, that's exactly what it means, you idiot. Which reminds me..", he drew a pack of sheets out of his back. "Please sign this. Signing this you take full responsibility in case of your death." He distributed the sheets. Some took it with trembling fingers. "I could explain you a lot of things about the area and so on but I think you're all old enough to find out yourselves..", he looked at the remaining teams, then his gaze got stuck at Itachi and the others. "How.. old are you?" He seemed to be quite puzzled. The three looked at each other. "10", Itachi answered. All the other teams broke into laughter. "Cuutte. Why don't you go home to your mommies?" "Ah.. I already know our first victims." "They'll be dead before it actually started." Itachi didn't listen to those words. He stared at the examiner with determined eyes. And so did Sayuri and Seishi. "Well then, it's your decision. I won't give you a special treatment." They nodded. "Take your scrolls and go to the entrances I'll show you. Every team gets another entrance to the area. Do your best and try not to get killed."

When Itachi, Sayuri and Seishi stood in front of their entrance and stared into the spooky, dark forest, they started to realize, that this was going to become harder than expected. This was going to exceed everything they had ever done. And that the first exam together with their free time with all its troubles, was only the calm before the storm.

* * *

_so far so good :)_

_I still don't have any characters to go on.. well I have those of my sister.._

_so just in case someone thinks about sending me his characters.. there's still time!_


	17. Envious hate

_Hey everyone! It's been a while! (Two weeks..)_

_There are a lot of things I want to say about the process of my ff.. like why I keep promising to post more often and don't do it_

_or why I keep promising to make new charas and bloody fights and don't do it_

_well.. I think I told you I can't do anything unless you send me some charas.. so I'll just blame you o.O_

_no seriously.. please be patient! I'll do my best between sickness and term paper and driving licence!_

_And that's what you call "vacation" in germany.._

_anyway don't give up on me and keep reading and enjoying!_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, new invented charas to me - or maybe you? (Yes that's one last desperate try)_

**Envious Hate**

So Itachi, Seishi and Sayuri were standing in front of the entrance to the forest of death, to the setting of the second part of the Chuunin exam. How many people had already died in there? How many Genin had never returned? They started to get goose bumps. Only thinking about it gave them the creeps. Nobody dared to say something, it was quiet, all you could hear was rustling in the woods and the crowing of birds. And all of that didn't really contribute to lift the spirits. So it was time to do so.

"I-ta-chiiiii!" A weepy voice approached from behind. It was as if the group was ripped out of a deep nightmare. Itachi turned around to see who was calling him so desperately, though he had some misgiving. And his fears seemed to become true. Shisui lunged at him and wrapped his arms around his neck. "W-what are you doing here?" Itachi was confused. Maybe he was dreaming everything after all. "How dare you? Going to the Chuunin exam without telling me!" Itachi had known pretty well why he didn't tell him. To prevent such situations. "Your father told me! Just what were you thinking? What if I never got to say goodbye to you? Just how do you think it would have made me feel? You're so selfish." Shisui's words showed that he was angry, but the fact that he still hugged Itachi as tightly as possible left room for doubts. "S-sorry.. but I don't intend to die.. not in the Chuunin exam.. and not now.. Shisui, I.. can't breath." Itachi panted for air. Shisui untightened his grab and stroke his hair. "Sorry.." He looked worried. "And if you die.." his eyes changed. "I know whose fault it is." With this words he glared over Itachi's shoulder right at Sayuri and Seishi. The two flinched. They hadn't been prepared to be integrated in the conversation, not that way. Sayuri stared with big eyes at the man who had nearly killed her two years ago in the hospital. He was a lot older than them and known as an incredible strong and fearsome Ninja, but now,.. now he behaved like he was Itachi's mother or something like that. Neither Sayuri nor Seishi understood what was going on here. They looked at each other puzzled, then they broke into laughter. No minute ago they glimpsed hell and wanted to die at an instant, but now they had tears in the eyes and held their bellies to prevent to burst into pieces.

"Are you making fun of me?" Now Shisui was really angry. He made a step in their direction but Itachi stopped him. "Shisui I really appreciate that you came all the way here.. but.. you know now it's kinda bad." Itachi's thesis, that now was not the right time for tearful goodbyes and senseless fights was backed by the earsplitting noise of a bell ringing. The sign for the start of the exam. The gate they stood in front of opened slowly and creaking. "We have to go now.. take care." The moment Itachi turned around Shisui's personality snapped back to its starting point. "Good luck!" He screamed with his voice as weepy as before. "Don't die!" With every step Itachi got closer to the forest and further from him, Shisui got more nervous. Itachi felt that this was going to take a bad end so he sped up. When he crossed the gate he was already running, Sayuri and Seishi at his side. Shisui gasped. He wanted to say something before his best friend disappeared in the forest, maybe forever, but he didn't know what.

"Make sure to change your shorts every day!" (A/N: HA! Cold-blooded stolen from Pokemon!)

Itachi did his best to get away as far as possible from the entrance, but then he let himself fall on the ground. He wanted it to swallow him. Sayuri and Seishi stopped as well. The ring of the bell had made them shut up but now they laughed harder than ever. "Just.. what.. was that?" Seishi had problems with breathing. His body trembled of laughter, he sank on his knees, then let himself fall on the back. Lying on the ground he laughed on. Sayuri tried to restrict it first, which resulted it frantic giggling, but then she just gave it up and laughed from the bottom of her heart.

Itachi had never felt such a strong desire to die before. Why? Why did his family always bring him in such situation? Maybe he would have really been better of not to be born an Uchiha. That Sharingan couldn't be worth all the pain he had to suffer.

Itachi sighed and tried to sit up again. Hopefully they all were able to forget this very soon and concentrate on the main task. Before he was able to stand up, a second pair of arms had already wrapped themselves around his neck. "You poor, poor boy." Sayuri seemed to have understanding for his situation. He didn't want her pity, though. On the other hand he had nothing against Sayuri clinging to his body. First, because he loved the feeling of her soft, good smelling hair touching his face, second, it gave him some pleasure to see Seishi's laughing falling silent and his expression turning into envious hatred. Unfortunately such pleasure often caused Itachi to cross the limits of an Uchiha.

"I just don't know what I did wrong to deserve this.. Is there no fairness in this world?" Itachi returned her hug and laid his hands on her back. He should have made sure beforehand whether her dress was backless or not. That way, he was quite shocked when his fingers touched her bare skin instead of cloth. A flash of memories ran through Itachi's mind causing his heart to beat faster and his face to blush. Her skin was just as silky as it had been two years ago.

Sayuri misinterpreted his reaction as deep sorrow and tightened her grasp. "Don't worry.. I'll be always there for you." Sayuri knew quite well in what kind of situation someone could be brought by older siblings and to Itachi Shisui was like an older brother. And elder brothers definitely suck from time to time, especially when others are present. Now she felt sorry that she laughed at him and wanted to do something to apologize to him.

She rubbed her hands on his back. Like you do it when a little boy has a boo-boo and needs to be comforted. But to Itachi it had some other meaning.

Itachi took it as justification to move his hand as well, so he stroke her back and then let his fingers glide downwards. All he wanted was figuring out where the skin stopped and the cloth would start again, but now even Sayuri realized that something was quite odd here.

Seishi shot a more than deprecative glance at them while he was grinding his battle ax. That made no sense at all because it was brand new, but Itachi didn't let the mood die. He put his lips on her hair. Sayuri gasped. There was something awfully going wrong here. All she wanted was comforting Itachi after the embarrassing situation with his relative, but therefor her heart was beating too fast and the butterflies in her stomach were a bit too nasty. _Itachi is a friend... _she told herself, _only a friend. Not more and..._ Just in the moment the _more_ crossed her mind, she felt Itachi's fingertips sliding beyond her dress. In the end he didn't satisfy himself just with knowing were the dress started.

Itachi hid his face in Sayuri's hair so no one would see the expression he had right now. He knew pretty well what was following if he let his fingers glide just a little more. Sayuri felt that she had to do something to stop him, but she realized that he held her so tightly she couldn't move.

Seishi cleared his throat. Enough was enough. It should be him who held Sayuri like that, who let his fingers slide that far. "Sayuri you better let go of him and stand up before something else stands."

It hit Itachi like a slap in the face. Hard enough to remove his hands from her. Sayuri jumped up. Great. Why did he have to let himself getting carried away like this? What would she think of him? "What.. do you mean.. what stands?" Sayuri looked at Seishi confused. That moment Itachi liked her even more for being so naïve. Seishi smiled. "Forget it." All that was important was that Itachi knew what it meant.

Time passed in he forest of death without any remarkable fatalities. For that it was too early as the teams had their starting points well positioned across the fence around the circular trainings area with 5 kilometer radius. So it was sure to take a while until the first teams crossed. When the sun started setting, they had to find a place to sleep, a place where they weren't to be attacked in the middle of the night. It had to be hidden and hard to approach without being noticed. After a while they finally found a hole under the roots of a huge tree, big enough for three children to stay.

"How long are you planning to take this ax with you? You're using up all your chakra before we even get in a fight." The only way Seishi could carry his huge battle ax was to keep pumping all his power into it. But this wasn't the only reason why Itachi wanted it gone. Every time he saw it he was reminded of the money he had spent and Seishi's victory over him. "We won't go any further now, will we? Well then I'll seal it now." Seishi sat down next to the hole and extended a scroll in front of him, then he started to write signs on the scroll with black ink. He know would seal the ax in the scroll to call it out when he needed it. Just like Sayuri had done it with her double blades. This could take some time, so he waited until night. Meanwhile, Itachi took a look in their quarters. "It's gonna be quite narrow in there", he stated. "It'll work out just fine if we just close ranks a bit. So.. who's gonna sleep in the middle?" Seishi grinned while he put a blood seal on the scroll. Itachi gulped. Two years they had managed quite well to get through the nights, in different chambers. From time to time Itachi and Seishi had had to part a room, but the beds had a distance big enough for preventing any.. incidents. It has been a while since the last time they had to sleep all together in one room, body to body, but Itachi remembered it quite well.

"Why are you placing a blood seal on it? Don't you think you over-" "Don't change the topic." Seishi's glance staid serious. "I'm not changing the top-" "You do!" Seishi pierced his eyes in Itachi's to make sure he couldn't escape." Stop inter-" "interrupting you? Nope." If there was something Itachi couldn't stand it was when Seishi acted as if he was something better. No, that what his part. He had to show him his place. What followed was a gaze challenge (is this the right word? I have no idea -.-) between the two boys. Empirically, this could take ages as neither ever even thought about giving up. Sayuri desperately looked from the one to the other. She had been setting up traps around their hideout and now she found her two boys glaring at each other.

"Ehm.. guys? What are you doing?", she asked cautiously. But it was no use, she was ignored. The boys kept a straight face. "Hey? HEY! You can't be serious, there are more important things than your stupid.. whatever your doing." Still it was as if she was talking to a brick wall. She gave in and watched them. It had something beautiful after all. Sayuri admired how their eyes locked so deep without blinking and this for such a long time. She couldn't stand it for even five seconds to stare into Seishi's empty, pure white eyes. She'd be too afraid to get lost in them and drown. Furthermore he had this glance when he was looking at her, when he was looking at any girl. She never was sure what feeling she actually had then.. whether it really made her nervous or just was giving her the creeps. Now, of course, when he looked at Itachi he had a completely different expression in his eyes. Something between heavy dislike and pure arrogance.

So, in the end all he was doing was copying the expression Itachi kept having all the time. No matter whether he was looking at Seishi, or Sayuri, or anyone else in the entire world he had this face. But that was not the reason why Sayuri would never manage to stand his look. When she looked in his eyes, something she avoided as good as possible, she definitely got nervous. Her heart beat faster and her head went dizzy. His eyes were the absolute opposite of Seishi's. So black, so dark, darker than the night itself. And in this darkness she wanted to get lost, in this eternal beauty she wanted to drown, but she'd never allow herself to get herself carried away so far. That's why she kept evading to look directly in his eyes. And when Itachi asked her why, she just told him that she feared to get hypnotized by his Sharingan and was forced to make strange things. This was certainly ridiculous, first because Itachi would never do this and second because there was no need to hypnotize her in the first place. She would do anything for him if he asked her. That was it. In her mind Itachi already squeezed her against a wall and pierced his eyes into hers. He touched her body and his face came closer and then.. and then.. then he whispered "Kiss me" with his perfect lips. Sayuri was miles away from the reality.

_And the reality was that Itachi and Seishi were still staring at each other, for about 10 minutes now, and Sayuri was drooling again. When the first drop fell on her dress she woke from her daydream. Quickly she wiped it away, but she was lucky. The boys hadn't noticed the incident, they were both to self-absorbed. She jumped up and tried to distract her somehow. She knew that when she kept being all by herself it was only a question of time until she spaced out again and the sun was already as good as set, the boys couldn't stay like this forever. They had to be tired after such a day._

She glimpsed inside the hole they were to sleep in. Now in the darkness and everything it looked awfully small. Knowing that it was futile she just mumbled to herself. "That's quite narrow.. I wonder who will sleep in the middle.." Then she remembered what happened the last time and sighed. "Maybe I should.."

"NO!" "YES!" Two voices she wasn't expecting to hear during the next half an hour suddenly rang in her ears. "There's no way I'll let you sleep in the middle!" Itachi seemed to have remembered her existence. He was suddenly standing in front of her and glared at her. "No, Sayuri, you are absolutely right! It's only the best for all of us when you sleep in the middle." Seishi stood next to Itachi and his approving glance was just the opposite of Itachi's. Sayuri was confused. She didn't know what to do or say. But it didn't matter anyway because no second later she already was minor point again.

"The only reason you want her to sleep in the middle is because you want to do things to her while she's sleeping and there's no way I'll let you do this!" Itachi drew his attention back to Seishi. "What? What do you think of me? I'd never even think about doing something like that! The only one thinking about that is you! You're envious!" "Are you nuts? I'm not the one who wants her to sleep in the middle! As if I'm in need of something like that! And I have no idea why I should envy you!"

"Of course you know! Because Sayuri likes me more than you!" "In your dreams maybe!" Sayuri was deeply irritated. She had to do something before the situation escalated.. but what? "Oh yeah! You're expert in dreams aren't you? I wonder what's Sayuri wearing in your dreams.. maybe nothing?" Seishi was furious now. He disguised his voice and made strange gestures. "Oh! Look at me! I'm Itachi and I've seen Sayuri naked! She stripped in front of me!" Itachi blushed. "SH-SHUT UP! She never did something like that! And I don't.. I don't.. you know what I mean!" Itachi didn't get the words _I don't imagine her naked _over his lips. And Seishi wasn't satisfied yet. He opened his mouth to counter, but then.. "SHUT UP! BOTH OF YOU!" Sayuri was all red in her face and her breathing was fast. This was going too far. Far too far and even further than that. How could they actually dare talking so bluntly about her in her very presence? She couldn't believe it. And she couldn't take it.

"I'm going to sleep now! And if you don't come to terms like civilized men you're going to sleep outside. Did I express myself clearly?" The boys looked at her with big eyes. Neither of them had been aware of her presence anymore up until now. "DID I EXPRESS MYSELF CLEARLY?" The two flinched and nodded hastily. "Fine." She smiled like a little sunshine, turned around and huddled under the roots of the tree. Itachi and Seishi looked at each other. At least they've calmed down a bit now. Then Seishi smiled as well his lovely smile Itachi hated so much because it showed him he had lost again. "You know.. if you don't want me to sleep next to Sayuri, there's only one alternative." Itachi's eyes became smaller. "I-so-hate-you!" But Seishi's smile got only broader. And that's how Itachi ended up sleeping in the middle.

* * *

_and that's where I promise solemnly to stop tormenting Itachi (for a while) and start my promised battles! Be sure to keep reading_


	18. Game Start

_And here I am again.. :)_

_Thank you everyone for being so patient with me_

_So before you start reading I have to say something:_

_Please note that I did not break my own promise and tortured Itachi in this chap_

_during the whole horrible things happening to him he is SLEEPING which means he doesn't even realize what's happening to him!_

_And If you can't take the.. perversity and pure vileness in the following.. just skip it.. haha.._

_I'm sorry ._

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, only new invented characters belong to me_

_The new charas being introduced in this chap were invented by my sister (yes she's crazy)_

* * *

**Game Start**

**That night**

Even though he had made such a big fuss about it, Itachi hadn't that hard time to fall asleep. He didn't let himself being distracted by the smell of lilies on the right and the touch of a boy with open sexual orientation on his left. No, it didn't even take him 10 seconds to blank it out and fade away in the kingdom of dreams.

Sayuri was amazed. For her it wasn't that easy to fall asleep. The ground was hard, there were insects everywhere and spooky sounds in the even spookier forest. She felt scared and queasy. But what really restrained her from sleeping was Itachi. She couldn't stop staring at him. It was unbelievable how beautiful he was when he slept, more beautiful when he didn't, although Sayuri had never been sure that that was actually possible. She wondered why she never had realized it before, she had slept a couple of times next to him after all, but then she remembered that back then she always fell asleep before him. Yeah, back then it all had been different. Two years ago she had felt easy in Itachi's presence, she had felt comfortable sleeping next to him, but now something was different. She didn't feel comfortable, she was nervous. Knowing that he was so close, looking at his peaceful face, it made her heart beat too fast to be able to fall asleep.

And she knew why. Back then, she had told herself that she didn't like Itachi. That he was a mean, arrogant bully who liked to pick on others. She had told herself that hard, that she actually had believed it. But now she knew it was wrong. Now she knew, that he had a good heart, he was kind and lovely, even though he might had a strange way to show it. Sayuri couldn't deny herself her feelings for him any longer. They were friends, yes, but maybe that wasn't enough. If it was, she wouldn't have such a strong desire for his slightly opened lips.

Being sure she was the only one still awake she did something unforgivable. She raised her hand and carefully touched Itachi's face. She despised herself when she realized how much pleasure it afforded to her feeling his cold white skin under her fingertips, but she couldn't stop herself. She ran through his hair, let her fingers glide along his nose and gently over his lips. Sayuri was blown away. She wanted to go on like this the whole night, she would never get tired of it. Then she had a even more despicable idea. If he hadn't woken up until now, maybe he wouldn't even wake up when she stole him a little kiss. Was it really okay? To kiss someone while he was sleeping? What should she do when he woke up? But maybe it was her only chance ever.. Itachi was the last in the world to have such feelings after all.

She took a deep breath and stroke over his cheeks, then closed her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Seishi's head appeared from the other side of Itachi and looked at her suspiciously. Sayuri froze. "E-ehm.. I-I.. j-just..." All she could do was hoping that it was too dark for Seishi to see that her face was dark red. But therefor his eyes maybe were to good. He rose one brow. "What are your hands doing in Itachi's face?" Sayuri was desperate. What should she say. She drew her hands back and stuttered. "I-I.. t-there was a bug in his face.. I.. I just w-wiped it away." Inside of her she acclaimed her ingenuity. But Seishi wasn't convinced. "A bug? Then I wonder why you didn't start to scream like someone was slaughtering you?" He had some point there. "What are you thinking of me? I'm not afraid of _bugs_." All her affords to make Seishi believe that that bug actually existed were shot down by Itachi. In his dreams he moaned and tossed and turned beneath Sayuri's and Seishi's heads. His face was in pain first, then he turned around and moaned again before he calmed down and looked as peaceful as before. All of that looked so cute that Sayuri couldn't help herself but to moan as well. "Oh my gosh..", she whispered completely occupied by Itachi's sight.

"Yeah..", Seishi nodded, "he definitely is cute when he's sleeping.." Seishi stared at him as well. There sure was some art in it. The pure white skin, the dark black hair, the delicately chiseled, nearly feminine features, the long eyelashes. This beauty united in one single person. In one single clan. The way Seishi looked at Itachi gave Sayuri a strange feeling. "Seishi.. can I ask you something? Do you.. like Itachi?" Seishi was ripped out of his thoughts. He realized that there must have been something in his eyes when he had been looking at his comrade. "N-no! Of course not! I'm a _man_! I only like _woman_!" What do you say in such situations? I play with tits not with balls? I prefer melons to bananas? I lick don't suck? There were many things coming to his mind, but maybe the best thing was to just shut up.

Sayuri nodded. "Okay." She really was credulous. Seishi couldn't say that he didn't like spending hours looking at Itachi when he was sleeping. He had this little problem, that, for some reason, he couldn't sleep at his house. Seishi never asked why, he didn't really care when he woke up and found Itachi sleeping on his coach. It made his living room looking less empty and sometimes he could persuade him to have a beer with him which made the fact, that he kept having a beer before he went to bed, less pathetic. No matter how he looked at it, Itachi had something and Seishi was sure that if he was a girl, he would date him.. her.. whatever, everything that counted was that his one and only big love was Sayuri. The very same beauty who now bowed over his archrival and watched him with such warmth that Seishi wanted to burst into flames. "What about you..?", he asked carefully. "do you.. like Itachi?"

Sayuri went red. "W-what are you saying? I barely brought myself to stand his existence.." She was lying. Seishi knew it. And it hurt him. Not only that the girl he liked loved someone else, but also that she didn't even have the fairness to tell him so. He sighed. In the end the only way to defeat Itachi was to keep driving him crazy. "You wanna see something good?" "Hm?" Sayuri was curious as always. And Itachi slept. Deeply. Very deeply. And in view of the face he made he had taken the argument before too seriously and now really dreamed of Sayuri.

Perfect conditions for Itachi's ultimate exposure. "You like touching him right?" Sayuri was confused. "What?" Seishi grinned. "It's all right, really. I won't tell him. Aren't you sick of his face? Why don't you just try something else? Like touching way deeper?" Sayuri's eyes widened. "WHAT?" Fine. Seeing her expression she knew more than other girls her age after all. "No.. no.. not that deep. I mean his perfectly buff chest." That sounded tempting. How many times had Sayuri actually dreamed of such an opportunity? But she couldn't actually do something like that. Not when Seishi was watching. Not when she had claimed that vehemently that she didn't even like Itachi. "I'm not sure." "Trust me", Seishi's smile was convincing. "B-but.." "No but! Believe me, that will be great!" "Okay.." That was too easy. Sayuri didn't have enough self-control. The image in her mind, the image of Itachi's wonderful chest, made her weak. "Well then, just start." Sayuri gulped. She looked at Itachi to make sure that he was still sleeping deeply. Slowly she laid his hands on his body and let her fingers glide under Itachi's shirt without letting her eyes from his face. She gasped when she touched his naked skin. It was so tough, so hard, she could feel every single muscle. "No let your fingers glide upwards. Slowly and gently." Seishi's smile got broader every second. Sayuri didn't get rid of the feeling that he planned something. Something strange. "What if he wakes up?" "He won't." Seishi stared at Itachi's face. With every move Sayuri made it changed. His breath got faster. When she did as she had been told, he gasped in his sleep and moaned again. Only that the moan this time sounded slightly different.

Sayuri started to feel really bad. She loved touching Itachi's body but Seishi's mischievous smile and the sounds Itachi made.. she wasn't sure about it. "Seishi.. what will happen if I go on?" Seishi couldn't let her stop now. Not when they were so close. "What should happen? Nothing will happen.." he remembered that this lie would be quite fatal when really something happened. "Nothing.. special", he added. "Seishi.. what?" Sayuri had her hand under Itachi's shirt and refused to move it anymore. "Don't worry.. maybe nothing at all will happen. I'm not even sure whether he's already that far.." Now Sayuri was definitely worried. "That far? What do you mean? That far for what? What's the worst thing that can happen?" Seishi didn't know how he should say it. All he knew that if he said it and she knew what he meant, she'd stop instantly. "Well.. the worst thing that can happen is that he wakes up." That had been obviously the wrong way to say it. "You told me he wouldn't" Sayuri drew her hands back. That quick move downwards caused Itachi to moan once again this time only louder and more apparent. They were so close. It was a pity. "No I mean.. _he _wakes up." Sayuri said nothing. She was thinking. She was wondering what that difference in emphasis made different in meaning. Now it would show if she really only was an usual 10 years old girl or as far as her body was.

Then the scales fell from her eyes. "Oh my... what were you planning to do? You pervert!" Sayuri was shocked. That was the very last thing she had expected from Seishi. Even though it perfectly fit.

"What's wrong? Come on that's funny. I don't even know if it works. Other boys my age.." "That's no apologize!" Sayuri felt used. That was the very last time she would trust Seishi. "Ok.. if you don't wanna do it I'll do it." Sayuri's eyes widened. Seishi really stopped at nothing. And then he kept claiming that he wasn't gay. "It shouldn't matter whether it's a girl or a boy as long as he's asleep." He let his hand glide under Itachi's shirt to go on where Sayuri had stopped. And yes, something did happen indeed. Something horizontal became vertical just like Seishi had said. Only that it was Itachi himself who stood in his bed no second later, panting and sweating, with big, frightened eyes. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. "W-what was that right now? Something.. creepy.. and disgusting ran through my whole body."

Seishi looked at the completely terrified Itachi with surprised eyes. Finally he shrugged, said "That's how wrong you can be.." and turned around to sleep on. But Itachi didn't feel any better. Sayuri felt sorry. Just how could she let Seishi do something like that? Why did she even start it? "Maybe.. you had a nightmare." She laid her hand on Itachi's chest and tried to push him back. But it was harder than she thought. His body was so tense. When she got him back in his lying position he looked in her worried eyes. "Maybe..", he said. He was confused. How could this happen? His dream had started so promising. It had just been about to get really interesting. And then.. all of a sudden.. he had been ripped out by this.. awful feeling. "Just try to sleep on.." She carefully dabbed the sweat from his brow.

"I don't think I can sleep now.." Seeing Sayuri bowing over him, he knew something way better than sleeping. "What about you? Aren't you cold?" She still wore one of her lolita dresses, black and white, laced with ribbons. The backless one. "It's.. all right. I'm fine", she told him. In fact, the night turned out to be colder than she had thought. Maybe it was the endorphin from his dream, maybe it was the adrenaline from his awakening. No matter what it was, some hormones went crazy in his body and mind. "You'll get sick!" He grabbed her and dragged her to him, there he pressed her head on his chest and wrapped his arms around her, without any intention to let go that fast. "Better?" Better? Well.. Sayuri wasn't cold anymore, she was hot. Her head was on the wonderful body she loved so much, she could hear Itachi's heart beating. But it was wrong. Itachi wasn't himself.

"Itachi.. thank you.. but please let me go." It was quite hard for her to do the right thing. Yet, in the end, it was futile. Itachi's breathing had already become deep and regular. He fell asleep. And his arms were still holding her. Now it was over. She had done what she could, nobody could blame her. Lying on Itachi's chest it was far more comfortable than on the ground and finally she could fall asleep with a smile on her face. It seemed as if the night had come to a happy end after all the complications. Nearly a happy end. Seishi couldn't sleep even for a single second.

* * *

The night was long. The seconds feel like hours when you know that next to you lies the girl you love in the arms of the boy you hate. But somehow the sun rose again behind the trees and sent its sparks through the leaves and inside the little cave beneath the roots. Sayuri opened her eyes. She needed some time until she remembered what had happened so far and why she was lying on Itachi's chest.

She smiled gently when she saw his sleeping face. But then she thought that he, too, might wake up soon and was sure to be quite embarrassed in this situation. She slipped away under his arms and freed herself. Then she looked at Seishi. He was lying there with his face to the wall. Sayuri thought that he was still sleeping and left the hideout. When she was gone Itachi sat up. He had been afraid that she would sleep forever. Just what had come over him when he had dragged her towards him? The memories of the last night were all pretty dump. He wanted to follow Sayuri outside to get fresh air but Seishi grabbed his arm and held him back. Itachi looked at his hateful face puzzled. Did he do anything to annoy him? "I've lost everything. Everyone dear to me died. I have nothing left, nothing left to give me a reason to live. She is everything for me. She's all I have, she's all I want, why do you want to take her away from me as well?" Itachi didn't know what to say. He looked into Seishi's eyes. It wasn't that I-have-no-parents-pity-me-look he had when he wanted something from him. It was serious and desperate. "That's not my prob-" Itachi was interrupted by an earsplitting scream. Sayuri. The two so different boys now had the very same thought. They rushed out of the hole as fast as they could.

Outside they found Sayuri crouching on the ground. Her whole body trembled and she held her head in pain. "Stop it.. please stop it!" There was nobody to be seen, nothing suspiciously, but Sayuri sobbed and whined desperately. "She's caught in a Genjutsu." Itachi ran towards her and looked at her carefully. There was no doubt. Her eyes were empty. He brought his hands together, said "_Kai!_" and touched her forehead with his fingertips. Sayuri's gaze regained its expression and she stopped weeping. "Are you alright?", Itachi asked her. She nodded confused. He nodded back and turned around. "Seishi!" Seishi nodded, too. "I know..", he stared in the trees behind them. "It has finally started."

He lifted his forefinger and his middle finger and held them between his eyes. "Byakugan!" The veins around his eyes became thicker and his gaze became tense and concentrated. "Three people, distance 213 meters. One at 0°, one at 45.3° and the last at 44.9° negative." Itachi helped Sayuri to stand up, then they stared in the trees as well. "Leave it to me!" Sayuri felt stupid for falling on a Genjutsu just like that and wanted to make up for it. She made finger signs and put her hands on the ground screaming "Katon: Mittsu karyuu no ikari no Jutsu". Three walls of fire shot out of the earth and headed in the directions Seishi had told them with great speed. The flames formed the heads of dragons with huge chopsand big glowing eyes ready to rip anything in their way. They pierced through the woods as if they weren't there.

Sayuri grabbed Itachi's arm. She was frightened. She was afraid of the people who were able to put her through something as painful as that. They stepped back and gulped. The fire dragons reached the spots where their enemies were to stand. What would happen now? They had to be prepared for everything. Sayuri looked at Itachi's face. His eyes were determined and started to change color. From dark black to dark red, getting brighter and brighter until they were blood red. Only two black points in his eyes showed his original eye color.

The fire dragons vanished into thin air, only the destruction they had caused remained. The forest fell silent. Everyone waited for something to happen. "They're coming!" Seishi warned his friends and went in defense position. Itachi intuitively placed himself defending in front of Sayuri. And there they were. They jumped out of the forest like lightnings and landed on the clearance only 50 meters away.

Sayuri flinched. It was the team she had already noticed before the exam had started. They differed from all the other teams in the way they looked, the way they dressed. There were two boys, looking exactly the same and still there was a difference like day and night. One of them had snow white hair, even whiter than his skin, his clothing was pure white, everything was white on him except of the eyes, the eyes where deep black. The other boy's eyes on the other hand were so white as the first's hair, but his hair was black everything about him was black, his skin was still snow white but his clothing, everything else was dark, dark black. Yet they were so similar, their body, their short haircut, their face, the cold, emotionless expression in their eyes was all the very same.

Between them stood a girl, well, at least she had to be a girl since all teams had to have a girl in them. This girl didn't look like a girl at all. And she didn't fit a bit in the image her teammates formed. While the boys looked like they came from a black and white move, she looked like she had fallen into a paint pot when she was born. Her short hair was hot pink and her eyes were bilious green. Her face was covered with piercings and her clothing looked dirty and torn. In short, she was a punk. And one of the most dangerous sort.

"How lucky for us that we find the babies first. I can't wait ta send ya home crying ta ya mommies." The _girl _giggled that crazy that Itachi and the others got the creeps. "Yeng" the two boys said in unison. Even their voices were the same. "Oh yeah, yeah how impolite o' me.." The girl that apparently had the name Yeng rolled with her eyes to show that she gave a damn on politeness. "I forgot ta introduce ourselves. Those two freaks are Ying.." she pointed on the white guy, "and Yang", she pointed on the black one "and my name's Yeng!" (A/N: I'm trying to use.. I don't know.. some kind of slang? But I suck at it.. don't laugh at me all I learn at school is standard language..)

Itachi bit on his lips, Sayuri hid her trembling body behind him and Seishi, well Seishi burst into laughter. "Ying, Yang and Yeng?" He couldn't stop laughing. "Who exactly gave you those names?" His defense position was done for of course. Something he needed right now. Yeng was mad. "Damn you fucking..!" She rushed towards him and...

*epic fight*

...the fight was over. Ying, Yang and Yeng were lying unconsciously on the ground.

* * *

_Haha just kiddin xD_

_admit it you fell for it^^_

_no seriously if you want to know what really happened make sure to read the next chap :)_

_that can take a while because I have only 2 weeks vacation left and have a lot of school stuff to do I have been procrastinating so far *sheepishly staring on the ground*_


	19. The power of twins

_I'm back! How long has it been? Nearly a month?_

_Gosh.. maybe some of you are wondering what took me so long_

_Well.. I knew that school would be hard when it would start again.._

_but that it would be THAT hard? How should I have known this?_

_I mean.. ok.. it's my last year and everything but is this any justification to drown me in endless school days, homework and one presentation after another? NOO!_

_Honestly.. I'm a human no robot!_

_And to make matters worse, this is supposed to be a fighting chapter and I soo suck at that.._

_you will see it yourself.. that's sooooo bad.._

_I would have preferred to just skip it.. but I can't possibly do that.. can I?_

_Anyway here it is and I hope you are able to enjoy it.._

_And I hope even more that there are some people left who read this since I didn't update so long.._

_please don't give up on me.. When I have my term papers done and my driving license I'll have a lot more time!_

_And some nice reviews for my working morale wouldn't hurt as well :)_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, only new invented characters belong to me_

_**Ch 19: The power of twins**_

The encounter had a pretty good start. By laughing at their truly ridiculous names Seishi had made the not very likeable looking girl angry. And so she ran forward screaming "DIE!" (Die Bart, die!)

But she didn't come quite far, not much later her teammates stood next to her and held her back. They didn't even look like they had moved, they stood there as if they hadn't been doing anything else the whole time. But that inhuman speed seemed to be pretty usual for Shinobi.

"Not he..", started Ying, "is our enemy..", Yang finished his sentence. If they thought that finishing each others' sentences made them less strange, they were absolutely wrong. "Right.." No matter how hot-blooded Yeng was those boys seemed to be able to calm her down easily. "But the lolita!" Or not. Yeng had already found a new victim. Sayuri flinched behind Itachi's back and pierced her nails in him. The last thing she wanted was that dirty girl to touch her. "I hate lolita!" She squinted her eyes in their direction. Sayuri got nervous back there. Itachi grabbed her hand to show her that there was no need to worry. And he was right. "Yeng!" The voices of black and white weren't loud but therefor even sharper.

"It's me, right?" Itachi was convinced. "You are Genjutsu users, you want to test your skills against me and my Sharingan, don't you? The two of you first put a Genjutsu on your enemy and the girl does the rest. She's not strong alone and nothing without you that's why she does as you say. So? Did I hit the spot?" Silence. What Itachi had said sounded quite plausible. "You're very smart..", said Ying nodding, "..for your age", added Yang. They started to become annoying. There were exactly two possibilities. Either they finished each other's sentences or they said something in unison. For example: "But not smart enough!" With those words they formed their fingersigns, still in unison, and shouted: "Kokuangyou no Jutsu" They even disappeared in unison, along with everything else, the trees, the grass, the sky, everything was swallowed by darkness.

Itachi seemed all alone, even Sayuri was gone. But Itachi wasn't intimidated, on the contrary, all he needed was his Sharingan. The blood red eyes pervaded everything. Every sign of Chakra, even the faintest, was sure to be detected by him. For this reason it wasn't hard for him to find Ying without any speck of light and land a well kick right at his head when he expected it the least. Ying was smashed on the ground and the shock dissolved the Genjutsu.

Ying was lying on the ground, the kick seemed to have hit him hard. They were obviously counting on their illusions. "Not smart enough for what?" Itachi couldn't say that he didn't like it to show someone that he was better, no he definitely enjoyed it looking down on Ying and giving him his most arrogant smile. It may made him a despicable person, but he didn't care.

Yang appeared next to Ying and helped him standing up, not letting his eyes from Itachi for even one second. The expression in his eyes let Itachi know, that he would be sure to act the second he made a wrong move. Even though Itachi had no idea what he was to do when he'd attack.

There was another thing in his mind anyway. "What are you? You look too similar to be real. Are you.. clones.. failed Bunshin.. genetic modified organism.. whatever?" There were very few things Itachi didn't want to get mixed up with despite his limitless genuine, one of it was everything concerning complicated biological physics stuff. "Are you making fun of us?", Yang glared at him, his clone was back on his feet. Both seemed to be very unhappy with the little distance between them and their enemy. "Tell me you've never seen twins before?" "Twins?" Itachi definitely was surprised. Twins, okay, but didn't twins look _exactly _the same and didn't have those, putting all similarities beside, significant contrasts? "Believe it or not, we are twins", started Ying, "we do everything together", Yang finished.

"We wake up together"

"We eat together"

"We train together"

"We go to sleep together"

"We breath in unison"

"Our hearts beat in the same rhythm"

"Our minds, our fates, our moves are linked by an unbreakable bond"

"And that's why you have no chance"

"That's why we'll beat you"

"Because together we are invincible"

"Nothing can stop us"  
"Your luck ends here!"

They smiled full of confidence and made a few strides backwards too get some distance. Itachi let them be. He wasn't sure whether he should be impressed by their lecture. He didn't feel very intimidated after it. Yet there was something in his mind, the feeling that he had forgotten something, something not too unimportant.

"Itachi! Behind you!" Sayuri's voice yelled at him. "Too late!" Another voice came from behind him in a dangerous closeness. Right. There had been something. Yeng. But Itachi didn't move from the spot. He only shook his head. "You think you're that great because there are two of you? You're forgetting something.. I'm not alone either!" Seishi's broad battle ax had no problem with blocking the strike of Yeng's katana aiming for Itachi mid-action.

"You start getting on my nerves! I'll beat the hell out of you!" Yeng was furious. "Sorry to disappoint you, honey, but.." Something in Seishi's voice was strange. It had something tense, it trembled slightly "Itachi.. I'll handle those guys. You take the bitch." Itachi was confused. That was rare sight. "BITCH?"

All of Yeng's attempts to win Seishi's attention were futile. He had decided his opponents and nothing would change that. He let his chakra flow in the ax. The strike of energy hit Yeng hard and made her jerk through the air. Then he turned around and directed his ax at the twins.

"I'll teach you a lesson!" Seishi really behaved unusual. Normally every fight was some kind of game for him. Was he now suddenly starting to take things seriously?

"Who's that?" Yang wasn't convinced. Everything they did was to get to Itachi Uchiha and compete with his power and now some idiot stood in their way. "That's Seishi Hyuuga. He's spezialised on Taijutsu!" Ying answered the question of his brother. He seemed to have studied the participant list beforehand.

"Taijutsu? Well then, that will be over quick. Taijutsu is no match for us!" Yang grinned. "We'll see.."

"Seishi.." Itachi didn't like the situation. No matter how confident Seishi was, it was definitely true that Taijutsu wasn't the best way to go against Genjutsu. And despite that, Itachi had been happy to have finally found someone he could test his skills against.

"Show a little more thankfulness, Itachi, I'm giving you a perfect victim to act out your sadistic drives on." Seishi grinned, the strange thing was that his smile seemed forced. He never needed to force a smile when he had thrown something like that at Itachi. He didn't get rid of the feeling that something was odd with him. "I'll show you who acts his sadistic drives out!", wheezed Yeng as she tried to stand up after Seishi's overwhelming strike. Maybe Seishi had been right and Itachi should concentrate on brass tacks. At least that was what he had thought.

There had still been something he had forgotten after all. "Sorry Itachi, but I guess I'll have to disappoint you." Sayuri. She pointed her double-bladed Kunai at the still half-lying Yeng. She suddenly stood in front of her. "You said you didn't like Lolita, right? Well then, I'll give you a reason to!" It seemed as if the switch had finally been thrown. It was strange, almost schizophrenic. Usually Sayuri was a kind, soft girl, like a flower in the wind, sometimes a little off-centric, but always herself. In fights something happened what you call a paradigm shift in technical terms. That may sound complicated and yes, it is complicated indeed but let us simply reduce this complex word to a change in the contrary. In Sayuri's case this manifested itself in a sudden increase of bloodlust, fighting skills and a complete disappearance of any inhibition threshold. In other words, if anybody called Itachi sadistic just because he had a little weakness for tormenting his foes to nearly dead by using Genjutsu, he had never seen Sayuri in action before. She didn't need any Genjutsu to torment her enemies, she preferred physical torture. Maybe it would go too far to go in detail here, there sure are some people who intend to sleep tonight. The only thing to be mentioned here, even the pure beauty Sayuri could get pretty ugly.

And usually Itachi didn't care much about it, but that day, with Seishi taking care of the twins and Sayuri fighting the punk, he had nothing to do as a result.

"Ehm.. Seishi, are you sure you want to take both?" Maybe there was a chance that he at least got one half of twins. "Forget it, Itachi, and enjoy the show!" Well he could have at least let him dream on. Enjoy the show, he said. That's very well to say. Itachi seemed to have to decide. Which show did he want to enjoy? Sayuri vs. Yeng or Seishi vs. Ying and Yang? Both sounded promising.

But as he was worried about Seishi's behavior he chose to have a closer look on him. It was better if he was ready to help him when he needed to.

Still Itachi was flabbergasted when he was proven correct so soon. Seishi rushed straight forward towards the twins with his ax in his hands. Another strange thing. Seishi was a genius, he always had a plan, always a strategy in his head. But his attacks appeared to have no pattern at all.

What was going on here? As Itachi was still thinking about it, Seishi had already been caught in an illusion.

Itachi already wanted to help him, but then Seishi activated his Bykuugan, solved the Genjutsu himself and threw his ax at Yang. He, of course, didn't have big problems with dodging such a clumsy move, the ax, on the other hand, was now stuck in a tree and didn't look like it would be that easy to get it out there. That was simply too silly. Seishi should have known that this would happen, so why did he throw his weapon? Itachi started to get a déjà-vu. Something in this situation was familiar. And then Itachi remembered. Right. This was exactly when Seishi fought him when he provoked him. When Itachi said something, very, very mean to him, Seishi lost all his sense and went berserk. But Itachi had to say really bad stuff to get him that far and he couldn't remember that those twins said anything that bad to him. So just what was wrong with him?

"So what will you do now you've lost your weapon?" Ying grinned. But before Yang could add something to his brothers statement Seishi countered. "What do you mean? You said it yourself right? I'm Taijutsu user. This ax is brand new, that was the first time I actually used it. Now I'm gonna show you what I'm actually specialized on!" He brought himself in the typical Hyuuga position.

Maybe Itachi had been wrong. Maybe Seishi wasn't out of control. He looked quite collected at the moment.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with!", Yang started. "We are invincible! When we fuse our Chakra.." ".. we can use Jutsu not even the best are capable of!" The Jutsu we used before belonged to the first Hokage himself.! "And this was only the start!"

Seishi snorted derisively. "But even that great Jutsu was no match for Itachi, so why should I be afraid?" Well, he had a point there. Maybe it was a Jutsu of the first generation, but had had no problems at all to seeing it through. But he had his Sharingan. Itachi wasn't sure whether the Byakuugan would work just as well. "You don't get it, do you?" "This was only the start!" "We have Genjutsu no one can resist!"

"We'll see then. Stop talking and do it already!" Was Seishi so certain of himself or so certain that those two were bluffing. Itachi wasn't certain of either. Seishi was in disadvantage after all. The distance was too far for him and his close range Jutsu. The "vampire twins" formed finger signs and screamed the name of the Jutsu they performed. Maybe it would be better for Itachi to pay attention and copy that Genjutsu. It was right his stuff and if these Jutsu that great, it would be a great enrichment. But he had no idea how to copy a Jutsu which is activated by melting Chakra or whatever.

He glimpsed at Sayuri at Yeng. Sayuri kept attacking her frantically without giving her even a second of free time to take a breath. It was only a question of stamina and concerning this, Itachi knew good enough to say that she could go on like this for days.

But back to Seishi. He didn't move from the spot. What kind of Jutsu was he caught in? Was it a mere illusion to erase his sight or were the "vampire twins" tormenting him? Itachi started to get a liking of the name "vampire twins" and justifying the nickname with their pale skin. Even though his skin wasn't much different and with his long black hair blood red eyes he may looked more like a vampire than anyone else in the world.

"You think you can get me with this? Forget it! I've already seen something worse than even hell! There's nothing to shock me!" Okay, they tried to torment him, but regarding Seishi's statement with not very remarkable success. Itachi didn't like it that Seishi was reminded of his past. He felt that the situation was slowly gliding out of his fingers, out of his control. He stood there ready to help whoever needed him, but something said him that there was nothing he could do.

And in a jiffy the situation changed completely. Seishi disappeared. He just vanished by bursting into smoke. A Kagebunshin? But.. when did he? Itachi was stunned, but even more when Seishi reappeared just as sudden behind Yang and got him with his Hakke Rokujuuyon Sho.

That Jutsu was only taught in the founding family of the Hyuuga Clan, but Seishi, who had only minor status, had "borrowed" the scroll and learned it himself. And not for nothing. That Jutsu really was something. In amazing speed Seishi hit Yang with his hands 64 times right on his Tenketsu to block the flow of his Chakra and damage his organs. In short, he bared Yang from using any more of his annoying Genjutsu. Itachi hated to admit it but that had honestly been a clever move.

One was down, and Ying alone – no big deal.

The hardest stuff had been over, the fight was won, without Itachi moving a finger. Well, at least that was what he had thought. How come Itachi didn't know, that it was the most stupid thing someone could do to turn his back on Sayuri while she was in mid-fight? Yes, Itachi should have definitely known better. "Fuck! Itachi! Run!" The _fuck _alone was enough for Itachi to ascertain him, that he would be better off standing in hell than right there were he was.

While he was still watching Yang being convulsed with pain, Itachi didn't realize the sudden decrease of humidity and the rise of temperature. All the more surprised he was when he turned around and was hit straight by a huge sphere of flames. "ITACHI!" Sayuri's shriek pierced through the red burning fire. Most likely she had been shooting with fire balls in her rage without looking where she was aiming at. And now he was the one who had to pay for her incautiousness. Of course. Who else?

"Itachi! ITACHI!" Sayuri didn't stop screaming desperately. She had no idea how that could happen. All she knew was that Itachi had been swallowed by the flames, the flames she had caused. What if he realized it too late? What if he died? What if he was killed by her, by the Jutsu of his own comrade?

While Sayuri kept asking herself how she should live on with the gilt, the flames slowly perished. She tried to find Itachi's body, but she couldn't see it. Maybe there was nothing but ashes left of him.

"Phew.. this was pretty close.." Nothing could describe the feeling Sayuri had when she heard Itachi's voice. It was as if she just lost thousands of pounds weight on her shoulders. Fleet-footed he jumped off a tree. He looked quite well so far, he didn't seem to be hurt. Unlike his Shirt which was nothing but tatters. "My clothes are done for! Couldn't you be a little more careful?" Itachi ripped the pitiful remains of his shirt from his body. After he gave his naked body a quick check for potential burns, he threw a reproachful glance at Sayuri. But that glare didn't last long when he saw Sayuri's totally distraught face. It was soaked in tears and she kept sobbing terribly. Itachi gulped. Maybe he had been a little too harsh. "It's alright, Sayuri, really, I'm fine! I'm not mad at you, honestly!" He tried to calm her down a bit, but it didn't really work. "I'm so... so sorry! You hate me now for sure..!" It only got worse. "No.. no I don't hate you! It's okay..!" Maybe he should hug her, that usually worked. But due to his lack of clothing the conditions were a bit different now. "See? That's exactly why I can't stand lolita!" Yeng stood a few meters behind Sayuri. She had a few scratches in her face and her hair was a little singed but she seemed to be alive. Alive enough to utilize the situation to attack Sayuri off guard, but she didn't. Most likely all she did from the beginning was playing on time until Ying and Yang were coming to help her. She was pretty useless alone after all. But that reminded Itachi of something. Ying and Yang? What had happened to them meanwhile? The fight had seemed to be on their side but still Itachi had a kinda bad feeling.

"S-stop it.. Please! We give up! We give up! The scroll.. take it.. you can have it.. but please.. please don't kill him!" And in an instance the flow of Sayuri's tears stopped and her face changed from hysterical desperateness into pure horror. Reluctant, Itachi turned around even though he was pretty sure that whatever he was to see, he wouldn't like it. And, of course, Itachi wouldn't be Itachi if he wasn't proved right in the end.

The sight in front of him was indeed everything else but thrilling. Seishi was bowing over Yang, who was still unable to move after the Hakke, and held his ax on his neck. Ying was kneeling next to his brother and begged Seishi not to do what he was attempting. He wasn't serious, was he? Seishi didn't actually plan to kill him. That made no sense, why should he kill someone who was already giving up?

But Seishi didn't know such a word like "sense" anymore. His eyes had no expression, his face was straight. "_Invincible, _you say", Seishi mumbled more to himself than to anyone else. "_Nothing can stop you, _you say. You can't lose? You can't lose, because you are _together_? Because you are _twins_? You fools! I'll show you how powerless you are.. I'll show you how it feels like to lose someone you love. I'll show you hell!" Seishi stroke out.

A huge lump appeared in Itachi's throat. Suddenly everything started to make sense. Seishi's strange behavior, Itachi's bad feeling. _Twins_. Why the hell did those two have to be _twins?_ And why hadn't Itachi realized it much sooner? Why didn't he notice how Seishi had been feeling all the time?

"Seishi! Don't do it!" Sayuri shouted at him, but he didn't hear her. "NOOO!" The boy with the white hair, who had been so calm and indifferent, broke into tears when the sharp blade of Seishi's ax rushed downwards right on his brother's neck. His heart stopped its beat for a moment, when the smell of blood started to fill the atmosphere. But it wasn't Yang's blood which dropped on the ground, it was Itachi's whose hand had stopped the battle ax only inches before it chopped someone's head off.

Itachi pierced his eyes in Seishi's. "That won't make him come back!" His voice was quiet but firm. And so a third person started to cry on this day. Itachi's words made Seishi regain his mind and slowly he realized what he had nearly done. And with this awareness all the memories he wanted to lose came back. What Itachi didn't know was, that it was the first time that Seishi was crying after six years. But why should he knew this? Seishi let the ax glide out of his fingers. It thudded right next to the even more confused than horrified Yang. It was all too much. Far too much. Seishi gasped a last time then he collapsed and fell into Itachi's arms. He only sighed and hissed a "Go!" at Ying. And Ying seemed to be more than grateful, grabbed his brother and left the clearance as fast as he could, Yeng followed after him. At least the scroll had been left behind.

Sayuri knelt in the grass, the shock in her face. The sun had barely moved from the spot, at least that was what it seemed like in Itachi's point of view. What a great start in the day.


	20. Revealed Secrets

_Hello! Yeah, ok, I know, 3 weeks_

_But this is the longest chapter EVER.. _

_It's over 6000 words! 6000, and I chose the headline because of the last sentences_

_you'll hear some more about Seishi's past.. if you're not interested.. sorry -.-_

_I looked up what his name actually means and I found some things_

_sperm, 2. life, death and fate.. and somehow.. both fits!_

_And what do we learn from that? Yes, even my subconscious is genius!_

_No, just kidding, I chose the name because I had Satan 666 on the desk, which is from Masashi-sama's twin brother Seishi.. _

_So this chapter is very sad :( You have to read it while listening to Past Story from the Fairy Tail OST_

_I cried.. ok I always cry.. I'm a crybaby_

_but maybe it's so good that some of you cry as well.._

_Just enjoy reading ;)_

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto_

* * *

**Revealed Secrets**

Carefully Sayuri dabbed the sweat off Seishi's forehead. They were back in the hole under the tree, Seishi was still unconscious and in pain. In his dreams he moaned and grimaced. All Sayuri could do was sitting next to him and watching him worried. She was useless. She couldn't even fight without nearly killing a comrade, she couldn't even save her best friend from his past and his sorrow. What was she good for anyway?

That day was really horrible. Not only the unlucky confrontation with those crazy guys, but also the fact, that the scroll they had obtained was identical with their own. It was a heaven scroll and they needed a earth scroll to finish the exam successfully. To sum up: The whole fight, the pain Seishi had to go through, everything had been for nothing. They were standing where they had started and there was no chance to get any further as long as Seishi remained in his state.

Sayuri wiped the wet hair from his face and kissed him on his forehead, like a mother when her child can't sleep. Seishi's face calmed, only slightly, only a little bit, but it did. A thin smile came across her lips and a tear gathered in the corner of her eye. As long as she could do that much, easing his pain and if it was only a little, she felt some sense in her existence.

With a heavy heart she left the hideout to look for Itachi. He was sitting outside, leaning to a rock, still half naked. If all the happenings weren't putting her into a terrible mood, she'd probably fall back into situation C again. When he saw her, he raised his head. "How is he?" A pretty unnecessary question since Sayuri's face was more telling than thousand words. She shook her head and took a deep breath. Her heart beat faster at the thought that she had a serious conversation with Itachi ahead of her. A serious conversation? Now that she thought about it, she realized that she had never had something like that before. She had never really talked to Itachi. The only things they said to each other were trivia stuff like _Good morning _and _Bye _and _Stop staring at me!_ But they never really talked for more than five minutes. Maybe it was because they spent so much time with each other so they didn't know what to tell, maybe it was the fact that Sayuri couldn't look at Itachi for more than one minute without drifting off or maybe it was that Itachi's lips were meant for so much greater things than for only talking. Well, it didn't matter now. She sat down next to him. "Itachi..", she started. "Hm?" When Itachi turned his head towards her, single strands of his black hair hanging in his face, it was as if her mind was flushed out of her head. Everything she wanted to say, every word she knew disappeared and her vocabulary was reduced to only three words. _I love you. _

Was that even possible? To have such strong feelings for someone you haven't even really talked to yet? But there was nothing she could do against it. All she could do was staring at him.

When Itachi realized that there was nothing to come from Sayuri but weird gazes which started to make him nervous, he decided to be the one who'd start this. "Is it because of Seishi? You sure are confused.. you have to know.. he used to have a twin brother he lost in the war. Those two did most likely remind him of all the.. you know.." Seishi's name ripped Sayuri out of her daydreams. Right. She remembered that this was the thing she wanted to talk about. There was something far more important than a stupid confession. "Yeah.. I know.. I know.. he told me once.." How should she start this? Itachi looked surprised. "I see.." He wasn't very fond of talking indeed. It would be quite hard to get some information from him. "Did he tell you, too? Or how did you know this?" It needed a lot of hard work to remain calm so close to Itachi. "No.. he didn't tell me.. I wasn't aware that he talks about it." Itachi stared into space. What was he thinking? What was he felling? "Then how do you know it? What exactly do you know?" She wouldn't give up until she had what she wanted. "Why do you want to know all this?" Itachi was slightly annoyed. Did he hate talking that much? Sayuri hesitated. When there was something Itachi detested most was to get annoyed. And the last thing Sayuri wanted was Itachi to hate her. But she wouldn't turn back now. She took all her courage and answered. "It's just.. you know he told me about his family four years ago. Four years ago he told me that he was alright, that he was over it. But after today.. he isn't.. he lied at me.. or maybe he didn't even know it himself.. still.." At those words thick tears ran across her face. She sobbed. "How.. how can I help him when I don't know the truth? How can I be there for him? Itachi, I beg you! You have to tell me everything you know! Please! So that I can do at least something!" Itachi was a miracle. He never really showed any feelings, he always kept a straight face, but sometimes, sometimes there was something in his eyes. A mere shadow of his emotions, nothing more than that, but that was what made his eyes so beautiful. And now there was it, the shadow, somehow sad and worrying. Sayuri even thought his lips were trembling a little bit. "Do you.. do you love him that much?" Sayuri didn't know what to do with this question. She didn't understand the hesitation and the trace of sorrow in his voice. She had to much in her own. "He.. he is my best friend. He is very important to me.. of course I love him!" Now Itachi was the one who didn't know what to do with those words. But he sighed and gave in.

"I don't know much.. and I'm not sure if it will really be some kind of help to you.. just stop crying.." Sayuri wiped the tears out of her face and nodded thankfully. She did her best not to sob and cry anymore as long as Itachi was speaking.

"The first time I met Seishi was six years ago on the day when Konoha was attacked. I lost nearly every memory to that day, I guess I repressed most of them. All I can remember is, that, when the worst had been already over, we all had been evacuated to the secret room behind the rock portraits of the Hokage. I have been with my parents and the rest of my Clan. Please don't ask me why, of all the things having happened at that day, I remembered _this. _But somehow I remember it as clearly as it had been only yesterday. Seishi was standing there, a few meters away from us, a small, dirty boy, drenched with blood, an old blanket covering him. He stared at the ground and cried silently. It was a horribly pathetic view, even under those circumstances, that's why he caught my attention I guess. The Shinobi who had been responsible for the presence list asked him questions. He asked him for his mother and Seishi shook his head, he asked for his father and he shook his head again. Then he asked him for any siblings and Seishi went to his knees and shook his whole body while crying. But the man didn't really care much and neither did anyone else. Everyone had been too busy with himself. I think I was the only one who had even noticed him. Me and my mother who had told me to ignore him.

Well, the Ninja brought him then to Hiashi, the leader of the Hyuuga Clan and asked him what to do with Seishi. And as it seemed, the status of Seishi's family hadn't been high enough to make Hiashi having any interest in his fate so he was put in the crammed orphanage."

Itachi's eyes were empty. There was something he skipped, but Sayuri was too moved by his story to care about it.

"What happened next usually falls in police secrecy but I guess I can make an exception for you. As you may know my father is the leader of Konoha's police station. A few days later the situation in Konoha went more and more back to normal. The war was over and while everyone was working on the reconstruction of the village, my father was back at work. And every day when he came home, he told us the same. The orphanage kept calling them because one of the children was gone every single morning. My father was quite mad about it, that they had to search for him and in the end he was always in the deserted house of his parents. But what annoyed my father most was, that in his eyes it was futile to bring him back every day. Not because he would be gone the next morning anyway, the boy refused to eat anything ever since he had been brought to the orphanage. He was as good as dead, that was what my father said, and there wasn't a big chance that something would change.

But in the end, something did change. After they kept bringing the boy back for about a week, which was quite a miracle that he still had enough strength to ran of even though the people kept a close eye on him, he was really gone. They couldn't find him in the house. Whether he had had a good place to hide or hadn't even been there in the first place doesn't matter. All that counts is, that my father stopped searching for him at that day. He didn't care anymore, he planned just to wait until there was a child corpse found. Three days later, they did so. Or nearly. They looked into the former house of the boy a second time just to make sure that his body wasn't rotting there somewhere and there they found him. Lying on the floor, unconscious, close to death. They brought him in the hospital. Food poisoning. He seemed to have eaten all the stuff left in the refrigerator, even though it had been off for nearly two weeks and all the food in there had already been bad. And as if by a miracle the boy survived and recovered completely to become one of Konoha's most talented Shinobi."

It had been the first time for Itachi to honestly praise and acknowledge Seishi's skills. That had been surely hard for him, but not as hard as telling Sayuri all that. No matter how emotionless he seemed to be, no matter how indifferent he made others believe he was, Sayuri could clearly see the pain in Itachi's eyes. The pity. The commiseration. Maybe he was even feeling guilty, that he didn't do anything although he had known what had been going on. That his father had cared so little.

Whatever it was, at this moment, because of his beautiful face, Sayuri loved him even more,if this was even possible. It filled her heart with love and tore it at the same time. Her heart was torn, once because of Itachi and another time because of all the horrible information she was confronted with. She had known that Seishi had had a hard time, but in the end she had had no idea.

"That's terrible.." Sayuri's voice was unusually calm. She stopped crying all of a sudden, the shock was so deep. "I.. I didn't know.. I claim myself his best friend and didn't know even that..how.. how can I ever look in his face again?" Itachi looked at her with mixed feelings, his gaze was undefinable.

"What can I do for him? How can I help him? There has to be anything I can do to make him feel better! But what?" Sayuri kept talking to herself, as if she wasn't aware of Itachi's presence at all. Until he brought himself back to her mind. "Would you please shut up?" Sayuri was puzzled. She was ripped out of her selfpity and started to realize Itachi again. "I know that Seishi's past doesn't really resemble a picture book and he had quite bad luck today. But I didn't have such a nice time either. I got bilked of my fight, was nearly killed by a huge fire attack, my clothes burned and I had a huge battle ax rammed in my hand. And nobody even cares!" It took Sayuri about 5 seconds to get what he had been saying, another 10 seconds to realize, that Itachi was actually some kind of.. offended and after she had had 3 seconds to understand that this was more than strange she needed 7 seconds to assimilate this paradox. So it took her 25 seconds of a really dumbfounded look until a reaction followed.

This was maybe the very first time that someone had to handle a huffy Itachi Uchiha. How should she behave? "I.. I'm so sorry.. I completely.. I didn't.. I mean.. So many things happened and I.. I.. Show me your wound I'll treat it right away!" Something in her voice kept begging _Please don't kill me! _In her panic she reached for Itachi's hand to give his injury a closer look. That hadn't been a good idea. When she touched his skin it was as if she'd been stroke by a flash. Her thoughts started to go out of control. _His skin is so soft. He feels so good. I want to hold his hand forever. Please, god, if you exist then make this moment never stop. _The whole thing went on when Sayuri noticed that this hand had an arm, strong and inviting. And this arm on the other hand had a whole body, the chest naked and buff.

All her blood gathered in her head and her heart beat went faster. One half of her wanted to faint instantly, the other half wanted to wrap her arms around Itachi's body and hug him as tightly as possible. What she actually did was, that she maundered to herself something like: "Oh.. that looks bad.. I guess I have to sew it." Regardless the fact that she hasn't ever sewed anything before in her entire life. ".. Sayuri.. please don't get me wrong.. but I don't believe that is a good idea."He tried to draw his hand back to save what he could, but Sayuri only tightened her grasp. "I'm.. so sorry, Itachi, really! Only because I was so careless, so.. so brainless, I've nearly killed you. I mean.. It's my fault.. what if you hadn't escaped in time? I would have never.. never been able to forgive myself! It must be awful to have such an idiot like me in your team.." All of a sudden the mood changed again and Sayuri's tears returned. She couldn't even look at Itachi's face. The moment when Itachi's hand had been about to slip out of her fingers, she realized what she had done. "I.. I know that you have any right to hate me.. but.. but I beg you.." She squeezed Itachi's hand so much it already hurt. "Please.. please don't.. don't hate me.. I can't take it.. I can't take it to live in a world where you hate me!" While Sayuri was about to drown in despair, something happened. Something she wouldn't have expected by all means. Itachi's second hand stroke across her face and wiped her tears away. It was cold, but so gentle. "It's alright ok? I'm fine. Just don't cry." His voice was so soft, so beautiful, so kind. The pure beauty made her cry only more. Maybe she was exaggerating, yes, maybe Itachi wasn't anywhere near the way she saw him, but she loved him too much to care about it. In this moment she was simply so happy feeling his fingers on her face. Their eyes locked. It seemed like they were staring at each other for ages. Sayuri wanted to enjoy it, those moments of happiness, but not even Itachi's pure eyes could lift the guilt of her. "There has to be something.. something I can do to make up for it.. anything."

At this moment a strange shadow flitted across his eyes. "I'd knew something." Itachi's face had been so close to hers for countless times. Countless times in her dreams. Only that this was no dream. Itachi's face was _really_ so close to hers. Itachi _really _closed his eyes. She could _really _feel his breath on her skin. He was _really _about to.. and there was no way she'd wake up now. But something was wrong. Something wasn't right. With every inch his face came closer, her heart beat faster. Faster and faster until it hurt in her chest, until it was nearly life-threatening. She panted for air. Still it was no use, the air never arrived. She got dizzy and her sight went black. Itachi now was so close that it would have been enough to only move her head a bit and their lips would met. Yet her body chose another movement.

In only a split second her hand shot up and hit Itachi's cheek with amazing accuracy and clout. No moment later Sayuri's circulation went back to normal and she could breathe deeply. Itachi turned his face away and held his cheek. According to the sound that did definitely hurt. "S-sorry! I don't know why I did this! I really didn't want to hit you.. it just happened.. sorry sorry sorry. Does it hurt badly?" Why? Why did she do this? She just made the biggest mistake in her life. She killed her once-in-a-lifetime chance to kiss the boy she loved.

"Itachi! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Itachi didn't look at her. He still had his head turned away. "Well, I guess I deserve this.." Sayuri wanted to say something but she was interrupted by a most amused laughter. "You sure do!" Seishi stood in front of the entry to the hole and clapped his hands. How long had he been standing there? Sayuri had been too busy with other things to have realized him coming. She ran towards him and wrapped his arms around him. "You're awake! I'm so happy!" Seishi smiled at her to cheer her up. But it didn't work. The moment, when she saw how hard Seishi forced himself to this smile, she knew, that it wasn't enough to hear Itachi's version of the story. She wanted to hear it all from his very mouth.

She looked at him with her most serious face. "I have to talk to you!" Seishi's smile faded away. "Oh.. okay." Sayuri grabbed his hand and dragged him back in the hole. Itachi was left behind.

With a deep sigh Seishi leaned against the wall. He seemed to be quite nervous. Most likely he was afraid of whatever Sayuri was to ask him. "Tell me!", she started. "Tell me everything!" She had said this once before that day. "I've told you already, remember? My father was killed, my mother stabbed, my.. brother was squashed by a huge rock, I had been nearly raped by a man who was sliced in two pieces and was soaked in his blood. That's it." He said this with amazing indifference, only the word "brother" had caused some problems. But now Sayuri knew that it was all just fake. "That's it? Don't you want to tell me the whole story? What happened next?" Seishi avoided looking at her. "Did Itachi squeal? Quite annoying to have someone with police information in the team.."

Sayuri kept silent for while. She still hadn't assimilated the things Itachi had told her. "As if this had been necessary. I was pretty well able to see myself that there's more." "I'm sorry..", judging from his voice he was feeling really bad about the things having happened. "I'm so sorry.. I don't know what was going on with me. Suddenly, I lost control and didn't know what I was doing anymore. I.. I.." Before he could say anything more, Sayuri hugged him as tightly as she could. "It's alright.. Really.. don't worry about it anymore." No matter what he had done, or nearly done, Sayuri just couldn't take it seeing him suffer.

Seishi stroke her hair. "I guess.. you have the right to know everything." There was so much pain in his words, that Sayuri refused to let go of him because she feared he'd fall apart. "I don't know what Itachi told you.. I'll just see what I can remember. After I was found and rescued by an allied Ninja, he brought me back to the evacuation place. I've been delivered to some Chuunin, who took me to the Clan chairman, who stuck me into the orphanage."

It was very interesting when you thought about it. Seishi, who had a hard time to shut up for only five seconds, crammed something in only one sentence which took way longer in Itachi's version, who was usually communicating with words like "Yes", "No", and "Well".

"Don't leave something out!" Sayuri wanted to know everything, every dirty detail. Seishi started to become insecure. "What _exactly _did Itachi tell you?" Something strange was in his eyes. "I just want to know, what those people asked you, your answers, your feelings, anything you'd feel better once you told me." Seishi was skeptical. He didn't believe that this was all. "Ok..", he said, "if you want to.

The Ninja asked me for my family. It was horrible to think about it, because I had to understand, that they were dead and they would never return. And Hiashi... Hiashi rejected me as in his eyes, it was my fault that my parents hadn't been able to protect themselves and fight for the Clan. In his eyes, I was nothing but nuisance which would have been better off having died with them. Can you imagine how that makes you feel?" Sayuri had tears in her eyes. She pressed her head against his chest. "I'm so sorry.." It was the very first time Seishi talked honestly about his feelings. "Did he tell you what happened after that?" Seishi asked very carefully, as if there was something he didn't want her to know. "You had been put in the orphanage..", she sobbed. "Right.." Seishi was slightly relieved. There was something he skipped, something Itachi had skipped before as well. "They put me in the orphanage, even though I didn't want to. It was so.. definite... like someone decided for me that I'd be alone now for the rest of my life. I couldn't take it. The other children in the orphanage bullied me. I guess they were jealous because I was part of a strong Clan and possessed a bloodline limit. Pretty dumb, in fact. I would've given every single drop of my blood if it would have brought my parents back.. my brother. We all had the same fate, regardless the blood we had in our veins. But children don't see that. They don't want to.."

He made a pause. Sayuri started to make herself reproaches. Why did she even ask him? Why did she force him to remember all that?

"Back then, I wanted to die more than anything else. I stopped eating. It was so easy. It was as if I had been in some kind of trance. I didn't think about my doings anymore, I just did it. I wasn't hungry, I wasn't thirsty, after a while the tears stopped and I wasn't even sad anymore. I was like a walking shadow of something that didn't even exist. And I just didn't care. I ran off every day and got caught every day and the only words left in my mind were 'So what?'."

At the same time it was so beautiful to listen to him, to his soft voice and this almost poetic words, and on the other hand it was so awfully sad.

"What happened? What changed you?" Sayuri was hoping for something good. Something positive in his life.

"What happened? I.. I died. Right. I ran off.. and hid in my old house, my parents' house. I wanted them to find me. I wanted them to shout at me and bring me back. It made me feel like I was still alive. But that day they didn't come. It's been maybe two weeks since the war. Two weeks since I've last eaten something. I waited and waited and then.. " "Wait! Itachi told me you haven't been there. They didn't find you.. what - ?" "That's a lie." Seishi answered as if he didn't care. "I guess they swept it under the carpet. They gave up on me. They had to be quite annoyed and I can't blame them for it."

Sayuri couldn't believe it. Did Itachi know this? Did he lie at her?

"Well.. In the end it came how it had to. I collapsed. It was strange. I was lying on the floor. I didn't see anything, I didn't feel anything. I couldn't move my body. I was lying there, unconscious, waiting for death. But it didn't come and I had a lot of time to think. As time passed, I saw myself standing in front of me. Only that it wasn't me. It was him. He stood there and stared at me. I wanted to talk to him, to touch him, to hug him, to be together with him forever. And he just shook his head. That moment I realized. He was dead. He died for me. Just like Mum and Dad, they all died to protect me and if I died now, too, all their affords, their deaths would have been in vain. First I didn't care. I wanted to be with them even if it meant death. But... but... suddenly, I made a decision. I decided to live. I woke up. I stood. And I went to the refrigerator like a robot. Like a robot I started eating. Anything, anything I could find. Really bad stuff, the fridge had been switched off long ago. There was nothing eatable left in fact, but I didn't care. I just ate. I got sick and nearly choked on my own vomit. I was closer to death than I was before. But still I didn't die.

I don't know how long I had been lying there. I don't know how long it had been since I've left the orphanage. Still, they found me and brought me to the hospital. I recovered. Not only my body, but also my soul. It was some kind of miracle, I guess. I went back home and.. yes, that's it. That's all. That's what made me who I am."

Sayuri couldn't get her eyes of him. All the information she got. It didn't go in her head. What should she say? What should she do? "Seishi..", she stuttered, "That's.. that's awful. Please.. if there's anything, anything I can do for you to make you feel better. Please tell me! I'll -" She didn't come any further. Seishi laid his fingertips on her lips and shook his head. "It's alright", he whispered and let his fingers glide through her hair. "You're the first one I've ever talked to about it. And you're right, I feel better."

Their eyes locked and the change of atmosphere laid down upon them like a soft veil. "You're the best having happened in my life, you know that? Since I met you.. I'm so much better. I'm not alone anymore. Sayuri.. I..." Déjà vu. Something happened. Something she had experienced not long ago. Seishi bowed forward and closed his eyes. Ready to kiss her.

"You're everything to me.." And just like before her reflexes answered. Without actually wanting it she turned her head away from him. "I.. I can't.." She didn't know what to say. Was it rightful of her to reject him after all what happened to him? After all the things he had said to her?

"It's ok.. You've done so much for me, I can't ask for more." It sounded like he said it more to himself than to her. "Seishi.. I'm sorry.. please -" He smiled at her. "Don't worry about it." Maybe this smile wasn't honest as well, but at least it wasn't that forced and sad like the one before. And that was all Sayuri had hoped for.

When she left the hole, she nearly ran into Itachi. She flinched when she saw his naked chest. He did everything to avoid looking at her. "Sorry to interrupt you but we have to get going sooner or later." Not he was the one who had to apologize. Sayuri bowed low and let her hair cover her face. "I'm sorry! I had no right to hit you. I really hope you aren't hurt! Please forgive me!" She looked up and looked at Itachi's face. He was confused. He didn't expect her to apologize that formally. "Please excuse me now, I have to make preparations before we go." The truth was she needed some time. She needed some time to understand everything she had heard today. She needed time to figure out how to deal with the two nearly-kisses. She needed time to think of a way, how she should go on, acting as if nothing had ever happened. Time they actually didn't have.

At least she was gone for a while, so she missed what happened after she had left. Seishi came out of the hole a little after her. There they stood, Itachi and Seishi, staring at each other. "Still wanting to run amok?", Itachi broke the silence. Seishi shook his head. "Nope" It sounded as if he was back. "Sorry 'bout that", he added, nodding towards Itachi's hand. It hadn't been sewed nor dressed nor anything yet and it hurt like hell. But Itachi just shrugged. "It's nothing" Seishi grinned. He was really back again. Yet something kept bugging Itachi. "You didn't tell her about _that, _did you?" He was pretty nervous "Just how stupid do you think I am? Did you?" Raising his eyebrow was all the answer Seishi got.

Both were relieved now, but the conversation wasn't over yet. Seishi sighed and started reluctantly. "Ok, Itachi, I just had a very.. emotional speech about my past and stuff and I want to be done with it once and for all. So listen carefully for you will never hear this again." He took a deep breath. "Thank you."

Even though it had obviously cost Seishi quite an effort, Itachi was confused. "So.. How do I deserve this?" Maybe it had been better to just let it be. "Don't act as if you don't know. I know it. They talked about it when they brought me to the hospital. It's been you, right? The only reason why the police searched for me every day, was, because you begged your father to do so. Only because you kept insisting, they came for me. And only because you didn't give up on me, they came another time that day. You wanna tell me I'm wrong?" Itachi closed his eyes. "Don't pique yourself on it too much."

"You didn't even know me. Why -?" "Why?", Itachi had a strange look in his face. "You want to ask me why I did this? Did I ever ask you why you did _that_?" Why couldn't he just shut up? "You wanna know?" Seishi got his smile back. "No! No way!" But there was no turning back now. It was too late. "If I'll tell you now I can write a whole poetical old women book of only what I said this morning, but well. You know, I stood there in the evacuation room -" "Shut up! I said no!" Well yes, that's right, Itachi was red in the face. "- and no one even saw me." Seishi went on as if nothing had happened. "No one wasted a look on me. Only one person in the whole room stared at me, with this pitiful look. And that even though he had a lot of problems on his own, I mean, you had a huge, bleeding wound on your shoulder.. But you didn't even care, your Mum was hysterical and everyone tried to treat the wound, except of you. You only stared at me. I was so amazed, and so grateful. Somehow.. you were so similar to my brother. Not your appearance, but your eyes. The way you looked at me. I didn't know you, I didn't know your name, I didn't even know that you were actually such a.. such an.. well.. at least in my eyes it was as if that day I had lost one brother and won another. Of course you didn't see it that way. But then.. when I walked past you, so close, our eyes locked and although I looked like shit you didn't avoid me like all the others, I was so happy, I just stopped thinking. It was an affect. I ran towards you and kissed you on your lips." Now Itachi was really red. "I know what you did.." His voice trembled.. the memory was just too.. absurd. "You're face was so.. great! You looked so dumbfounded." Itachi wanted to disappear. "I know, ok? Next time you have such an.. affect.. draw your ax again!" Seishi laughed. "What? Was it so bad? It was the first kiss, for both of us. Well, at least _I _had some others since then." Seishi had a talent for reminding Itachi of all the stuff he wanted to forget. "That.. that was not what it looked like!" Seishi laughed even more. "Listen to someone who knows what he's talking about. First: It's always as it looks like. Second: Hitting is good. Yeah, that's a good sign. Turning away is.. bad.. but hitting, hitting is a good start." Even though he was laughing something sad was in his voice. His face went serious for a second. "But don't think I'll give up! I won't let you have her. She's mine! Keep that in mind!" And then he changed back. "Anyway, let's get going! We still have to get this done. Where's Sayuri?" Itachi was left behind another time, while Seishi was looking for Sayuri.

When they were sitting all together having lunch before they went ahead, there was a strange atmosphere around them. Everyone now was sure, that he knew everything of the others. That the greatest secrets they harbored now were revealed. Yet, that wasn't right. They still had their secrets, all of them.

Seishi didn't tell, that the only reason he kept living back then, was the thought that Itachi had been caring about him, and the only way he had been able to come through the nights, full of nightmares, loneliness and fear, had been the beer he kept stealing and still does.

Itachi didn't let on, that he hadn't been aware of any wound he had back then, that he had a hole in his memories, hiding one important thing.

And Sayuri.. Sayuri had a secret, so big and mysterious like none other. A secret which should never be uncovered. What would she do if she knew, that there was not much time left until it was?

* * *

_Somehow pathetic, this artificial epicness.._

_Did you like it anyway? Then review :)_

_Thank you all my reviewers you give me the strength to go on :D_


	21. Rather too big than too small

_Ok, I won't complain that I had no time and stuff anymore since it actually bothers me myself_

_instead I'll simply say, that the worst stuff is now already over_

_I have my term papers done, my driving licence, and the test period slowly comes to its end_

_what I want to say is, that soon my updates will become more regular.. at least that's what I hope_

_but since I really had to much stress, I couldn't really think of some good way to continue this story.._

_So please enjoy this short, "filler chapter" in honor of the never ending filler weaks.. months.. years.. of Naruto shippuuden_

_I hope you can forgive me and stay faithful to me even though the dramatically decreasing review rate proves the opposite.._

_Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto ;)_

* * *

**Rather too big than too small**

It was a nice afternoon. The sun was shining and a soft, cool breeze blew through the trees of the forest of death. It was a refreshing wind, a wind you want to close your eyes when it strikes your face, a wind you want to breathe in as it rushes through your hair. This can grant you some beautiful moments of tranquility, provided, of course, that you wear the right clothes. If you happen to find yourself, for example, in a state of not wearing any kind of top clothing at all, every single breeze can be like thousands of needles piercing through your naked body. How something like this can happen? Well.. for example when your friend misses you in her hot fight and burns your clothes accidentally. Quite unlikely you say? Well.. you have to know, out there in the Ninja world are many lies and false promises, but only one truth. And this truth is, that for a genius like Itachi Uchiha, nothing is impossible.

Anyway, this genius called Itachi Uchiha made his way through the forest with chattering teeth. He was cold. Awfully cold. And alone. Yes, maybe it had been Sayuri's suspicious non-stop stare on his chest, maybe Seishi's gleeful grins and insinuating comments, but in the end he somehow "lost" his teammates and walked on for himself. Just what were they thinking anyway? It wasn't his fault his clothes got burnt. It was Sayuri's! She was the one who couldn't watch out while she was going berserk. And what had been the result? Had she been punished? No, in the contrary! She even got a reward! He nearly.. he.. thousands of girls pine for stealing a kiss from him, him the impersonation of absolute perfection, the genius, the prodigy. And what did she do? She rejected him! She slapped him right in his alabaster skinned face. That's something no one of the Uchiha Clan should ever experience. Bitch. He didn't even know why he gave her the chance to. Usually he'd never come to such... such ideas. It was just.. when she looked at him with tears in her huge, beautiful eyes begging for forgiveness, he felt so sorry for her. He was the one without shirt, he was the one with the wound in his hand, yet _she_ was the one he felt sorry for. Ridiculous. He just couldn't take it when she cried. Her soft hand touching his, her trembling lips and then, when she whispered those words.. 'There has to be something.. something I can do to make up for it.. anything.' Yes, that has done it, this one word 'anything'. It had switched his brain off. It had made him wanting to ravish her. Maybe she was a witch after all and casted a spell on him or whatever. And maybe he was exalting himself to something he definitely wasn't and depreciated Sayuri to something she wasn't as well, to be madder at her and less mad at him. But it didn't work. He just couldn't be mad at her. Nothing she had done, she had done on purpose and she was simply too cute to be hated. In fact, he still wanted to kiss her even though that slap should have brought him back to reality. Jeez, if someone knew what he was thinking about, he wouldn't only lose his reputation.

Being so deep in self-contradicting thoughts he didn't even realize that he was being watched the whole time. Only when the leaves started to rustle, he noticed that something was wrong.

He startled and looked around him. For the first time since quite a while he remembered where he actually was. In a "forest of death" with loads of unknown dangers, all alone, and with a task he had to complete in less than two more days. Very well done, Itachi, honestly.

He started to be ashamed of himself. He really acted like an idiot! Now he had to live with the consequences. But Itachi wouldn't be Itachi if he didn't find a fitting object to carry out his aggressions on. In this case it was the dumbass jumping from a tree, yelling some stuff and trying to make a surprise attack. It didn't take much to dodge, jerking him at a tree and pinning him on it with some well focused Kunai. As this had been too easy, he was already prepared for some hitch. For the guy to be a kagebunshin and the real one attacking any moment, for the friends of him appearing somewhere and assaulting him from behind, but nothing happened. And the guy didn't disappear as well so he had to be real. Itachi was confused. Was there actually someone stupid enough to run at him right ahead?

"Where are your teammates?", Itachi asked the shorttaken Shinobi. He looked quite frightened. "E-ehm.. they're not here, really! We've split up.. to.." "You split up?" He wasn't sure whether he should believe him. "You wanna tell me you're running all alone through this fucking forest with hostile Ninja everywhere?" Saying this he realized how dumb it actually was. Maybe he should just be satisfied that there was someone as reckless as himself.

"It was so hard to find someone.. We thought it was the best.." Itachi couldn't believe that _they _had been the ones who were laughed at in the beginning. "P-please don't kill me..!" It was ridiculous how many pathetic creatures were calling themselves Shinobi. Itachi sighed. "Just give me your scroll and fuck off." It wasn't half that embarrassing when he returned with the second scroll. Maybe he could even say something like 'I knew, I was better off without you..' or 'If you wanna have something done you should do it yourself'. The fact that he ran off out of stupidity and acted like a little child would be forgotten.

"I-I don't have it.. one of the others has our heaven scroll.." Itachi didn't know what made him more disappointed, that he got the wrong one or that it was actually a _heaven scroll _they were talking about. As if they hadn't already enough of that kind.

"Please tell me you're trying to deceive me and you have an earth scroll with you." That _please _alone showed more than enough that he was at the end of his rope. "W-will you spare me if I say so?" Itachi was a very patient person, but even he had his limits. "Do you have it or not? The truth, please, or I really consider killing you!" "N-no! I swear! I swear on my life! Please! Don't kill me!" Itachi rolled his eyes. "You're lucky that I have enough of killing for today." They nearly had some fatalities after all. The eyes of the guy widened even more if it was possible. Itachi looked at him more closely. The hopeless Ninja was a little taller than him, but not much. He took all the positive energy he had left, and yes it was a miracle that there was some, and smiled. "I'm sure we'll come to terms, though."

"Well? Did Mr. 'I'm-too-good-for-your-company' get himself together again?" Seishi. It had been only a question of time until he'd find him. Should Itachi be thankful that he had been that sensitive and gave him some time? Rather not. One thing was sure, this had nothing to do with sensitivity but more with the idea of spending some time all alone with Sayuri. "Shut up!" If he had forgotten why he ran off, he remembered it now. Sayuri walked next to him and stared on the ground. Knowing her, she certainly blamed herself for Itachi's leave. "You got yourself new clothes?" Seishi noticed that Itachi's chest wasn't naked anymore. "And for this reason you had to leave? Why didn't you just ask me? I would've felt honored to give you mine!" Actually, he needed some appreciation. It was amazing how he was able to run berserk in the morning, loosing consciousness, talking about his children traumas during noon and being all back to normal as if nothing had ever happened in the afternoon. Pretty awesome, even Itachi had to admit it.

"It's a bit to big for you, after all.. Who did you rob this of?" "That's none of your business!" Itachi wasn't really proud that he defeated an enemy and all he earned from it was an old shirt which didn't even suit him. But it was better than nothing. "Ok, ok...", Seishi gave in, "Rather too big than too small, right?", he added with a big grin on his face. Itachi had to bite his lip. Unfortunately, he knew exactly what Seishi was hinting at. And so was Sayuri. She raised her head and glared at Seishi. "Shut up! That's not funny!" Itachi had to bite his lip even harder. "Oh, sorry honey, but I believe you're the only one who sees it this way.." Seishi chuckled. Itachi's lip was about to start bleeding. "You're such a.. such a.." Sayuri didn't come any further. A choked attempt to pant for air interrupted her. Seishi and Sayuri gave Itachi a puzzled look. Then Seishi grinned even more mischievous. "Well, Sayuri, I guess we have to stop this. We're making Itachi laugh and we both know how much he hates this."

A short period of silence followed. Sayuri wasn't sure whether she should be relieved because of Seishi's sudden change of heart or start to make fun of Itachi as well and Itachi on the other side wasn't sure whether it was smart to say something on that and, if yes, what.

But luckily Seishi soon helped them out of their uncertainty. "Just kidding! This story is just too hilarious and Itachi looks soooo cute when he's laughing!" And so they had no other choice than remembering those days, whether they wanted or not.

It was two years ago, some time after the fateful mission Sayuri and Itachi had been nearly killed. Itachi had been just released from hospital, his wounds not completely healed yet, and the happenings had brought the three teammates closer together than ever before. They were a team, three in one, an unity swearing to always protect each other and never letting another one being hurt. So it was time to jam a wedge between them and remind them of the true priorities of a Ninja: First the mission, then the comrades. And who in the world was more suited to deliver this message than Kakashi Hatake himself? Not to mention that he was Sayuri's older brother and more than interested in the dubious company his sister associated with. Especially in those times, when Sayuri exhausted her full potential of childish stubbornness.

"Give it up already.. this is useless.." Kakashi shook his head at the sight of the ridiculous behavior of his little sister. "No way!", was her answer for the third time now. "I won't lose to those donuts!" She took a deep breath and sucked her belly in. But it really was futile, her dress didn't seem even closely to fit. "Sayuri, this has nothing to do with any donuts.. you're eight years old, you're still growing! Did you honestly believe those dresses would fit you forever?" He was right, of course, but Sayuri didn't want to accept it. "That's not it! I'm fat!", she said close to tears and was about to hit the mirror. Kakashi restrained her. "What are you talking about? You're not fat! Just what is wrong with girls and their distorted perception?" He gave his sister a closer look and let his eyes glide at her chest. "We both know the reason why those clothes won't fit.. You really got your mother's genes." Sayuri looked at her brother worried. The eye he didn't hide with his frontlet looked sad. He didn't mention their mother very often. "Don't compare me with her..", she whispered and turned away. "I _have _to fit in this dress! Even if it kills me!", she tried to bring the topic back to the point. "Why don't you simply buy a new one?" Kakashi couldn't understand what was going on with her. When he grew out of his clothes he had no problems at all with buying some new. "You don't get it!", she nearly shouted at him. "This dress.. Itachi had told me once he liked it.." Sayuri blushed and stared at the ground. The mere thought of Itachi made her heart beat faster. But Kakashi rolled his eye. "Then give it to him!" Sayuri couldn't believe it. "Shut up and help me here!" She turned her back at him meaning he should close the zipper. Kakashi sighed and decided to give it a try only to quiet her. Yet, once he closed it for only a centimeter, she panted for air. "Are you really sure about that? Is that Itachi really worth it?" Sayuri glared at him. "He saved my life! Why don't you stop saying bad things about him?" She couldn't take it anymore. Ever since she was out of hospital her brother was so shortspoken when she talked about her hero. "What's your problem?" Kakashi was thinking what he should say without making her hit the roof. "I know what he has done and I'm really grateful.. but.. it might be better you wouldn't intensify your relationship with him anymore." Sayuri flinched. "W-what do you mean?" Her face took the color of a tomato. "It's not like I.. We're just friends! Ok? Friends!" The tremor of her body showed she was lying. "And now get me in this dress! I have a very important mission today!" She didn't know herself how she should handle this mission without breathing. "About that mission..", Kakashi started. "NO! I don't want to hear anything anymore! Nothing about Itachi and nothing about my dress! Just get it closed already!" It was useless after all. Kakashi sighed and gave in. "Well then you'll find out soon enough.. Breathe in and do something about your big breasts!"

Seishi and Itachi didn't know where to look at. Should they look at the Hokage who was standing right in front of them as it was appropriate, should they look at Sayuri who had problems standing straight, was snow-white in her face and looked as if she'd collapse any moment or should they look at the infamous Kakashi Hatake who was just introduced to them as the leader of their new mission?

"Sayuri, are you alright? You look pale.." Seishi decided to be worried about Sayuri. She forced herself a smile. "Y-yeah.. I'm fine." Her voice was higher than usually and she appeared to have problems with breathing. Kakashi had a look in his face, Sayuri knew as his ironic I-told-you-smile even though his face was nearly completely hidden under a mask. Sayuri answered with her evil Shut-up-stare and for a few moments no one in the room understood what was actually going on.

Hokage-sama started to laugh. "Ah.. Sayuri-chan.. you don't need to be so nervous only because your brother leads this mission today. I'm sure he'll behave!" Laughing he gave Kakashi a pat on his back. And devious as he was, he agreed and laughed along. Seishi bowed towards Itachi and whispered "how cruel does he have to be that even his own sister is afraid of him?" into his ear. Itachi nodded.

The mission they had to handle was an easy D-Rank mission. All they had to do was heading towards a village nearby to provide Konoha with textiles and stuff. It was really no big deal, so why did they need a guy from ANBU with them? It made no sense at all.

Seishi and Itachi weren't able to be any more appreciative of Kakashi's presence once they saw, that he was doing nothing else than carrying Sayuri the whole way on his back. As if she couldn't walk for herself. But she clung to him as tightly as she could. Something was wrong between those two.

"Don't you think this is going too far?" Kakashi couldn't understand what was going on in her head. How could she wear clothes she didn't fit in any more for ages and expect him to help her out? "Kakashi, If I move only an inch too much I'm done for so please carry me.." Her voice was less begging than commanding. But Kakashi didn't care. It gave him the chance to spend some time with his sister for a change. He had nearly forgotten how sweet she smelled and how soft her skin was. "And all that just for this guy.. you really have to have some masochistic nature." Kakashi would never go that far for a girl. "That's my decision, ok? Are you jealous or what?" Jealous? Kakashi nearly tripped when he heard his sister's words. He hadn't been prepared for that. "Be careful! My dress will get torn!" She really wanted to provoke him. _You're going to regret this,_ Kakashi thought to himself knowing nobody would see him grinning under his mask.

"Let's make a break here." Kakashi stopped on a huge meadow. They hadn't been walking for a long time and it wasn't even dark but Sayuri wasn't the lightest person after all and her permanent bleating made him losing his mind. Anyway, it didn't seem like a bad idea when Seishi sighed "finally" and let himself fall on the ground. Face forward. He was lying there, on his tummy, for a few seconds while the others were staring at him confused and Sayuri was gliding carefully from Kakashi's body.

Then, as suddenly as he fell, he jumped up again and grinned "It's alright! Nothing happened!" His three companions stared at him even more puzzled. They didn't know whether they should be worried or laugh at him. "You sure?" Sayuri pulled herself together and overcame her urge to roll on the floor laughing. "Suuure", he purred even though he seemed to have some problems with standing straight.

Kakashi shrugged. "Well, if he says so.. it's not like I cared." But as time passed, it became worse. He started to behave even stranger, he driveled clouded stuff and hummed self-composed melodies. Sayuri and Seishi couldn't even enjoy their bento anymore. Kakashi ate somewhere in secrecy so no one could see his face under his mask. When he came back, he found Seishi bending over his sister touching her at suspicious places. "Sa-yu-ri! You seem to suffer so much in your dress! Let me help you out of your misery." And Sayuri screamed and tried to stop him, but it was no use. If Kakashi hadn't been wearing his mask, everybody would have seen his jaw dropping. "Get your hands off her!" A single kick was enough to jerk Seishi through the air right at Itachi, who was actually only starting to understand what was going on. "If you even look at her again, I promise you I'm gonna kill you with my very hands!" Seishi, however, didn't even listen to him anymore. He had already found a new victim. "Oh my... you're shirt is so soooft. Sooooo sooooooooft." Seishi rubbed his head on Itachi's chest like a cat. It was futile for Itachi to try to stop him, he seemed to have manifested an unbelievable amount of strength. "I loooove Mama Uchiha's laundry!" Itachi was desperate. Mama Uchiha? That was going to far. But what should he do to stop him? "Give it to me!" Now Seishi began to doff Itachi's clothes. When he felt his cold fingers on his bare skin, Itachi got sick. His face took some color between blue and green.. turquoise? Well, anyway, he somehow managed to get Seishi's hands from him, only to have them rearranged around his neck. "You're so beautiful!" Itachi knew that, alright, but Seishi was the quite last person he wanted to hear that from. "You look e-xact-ly like my brother! I mean... you don't.. you'd look like me then.. I mean.. your eyes.. no.. his were white.. what I want to say.. I love you!" Another thing he had never wanted to hear from Seishi. When Seishi tried to kiss him, not just for fun like he always did, but honestly, Itachi got really sick. He struggled with all means. "Onii-san! Don't you want to help him?" Sayuri couldn't take it anymore, yet she couldn't do anything herself, since the slightest movement too much would mean bye-bye to her clothes. "Is he my sister or what?" Of course, Kakashi would never admit that he actually enjoyed the situation. This "fight" was a pretty rare sight and full of unexpected turns. For example, when Seishi finally landed a kiss on Itachi's cheek and the pure disgust gave him the power to throw him away. He trembled and looked as if he had to vomit any moment. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Yeah, it was really a rare sight to see a full-blooded Uchiha in such a situation. Kakashi was happy he came along, this was more than interesting.

Seishi already wanted to ensconce himself in the high grass, but Itachi already grabbed him and dragged him up. "Now tell me! What on fucking earth did you take?" Seishi laughed. "Funny you ask!"

"I don't think it's funny! Tell me now!" Itachi should have known, that the fact he tripped over his feat right after he stood up from bed, had been a bad omen. "Weeeeell... I had some beer today morning.." "Yes?" Seishi always drank beer, that couldn't be it. "Then I had one tequila.. or two..." Itachi raised his eyebrow. He still wasn't satisfied. "And some time ago I took that pill from your bag.." Pill? What pill? Itachi tried to remember some pill in his bag, but all that crossed his mind was his Mum, smiling at him and saying something like "I put something in your bag so you don't look that fierce all the time".

"Y-you took my antidepressants?" Kakashi turned to his sister. "Let me see.. you have to guys in your team, one is a drinking junkie and the other a crazy dealer?" Sayuri just stared at the two. "You know.. I'd love to disagree with you.. but somehow that's not easy.." Kakashi watched the situation for some time, then started to laugh. "An Uchiha taking antidepressants! When I tell this the others.." Itachi heard him and turned around. "I-I'm not taking any! My mum wants me to.." Kakashi couldn't stop any more. "Maybe you should listen to her! It wouldn't hurt you, I'm sure.." Itachi let Seishi fall back on the ground. "Hey!" The situation was going to escalate at this rate. "Stop it! Everyone! We have a mission to -"

Sayuri seemed to have forgotten something important when she made an impulsive gesture. Luckily, the loud noise of something tearing apart reminded her. "Kyaa!", she screamed and even Seishi suddenly came back to his mind. Not because of her scream, no, rather because of those exposures.

"Turn around! Both of you!" Kakashi found a lot of things funny, but not when two boys stared at his half naked sister as if she was some piece of meat. Seishi and Itachi did what they were told to, still quite reluctant. "What just happened? I can't remember anything..", Seishi asked Itachi. "Forget it..", he sighed. "Are you.. red?" Seishi was pretty confused.. The last thing he remembered was that he slowly lost his consciousness while they were walking to their destination. "Forget it, I said!"

There was something far more interesting now, anyway. "What does rule number 36 say about a Ninja's clothing?" Kakashi's voice sounded very strict. "A Ninja has to always wear clothes providing the best conditions for his mission. He has to be able to move in them, they must not limit his flexibility in any way, fit to the individual body measurements of the Ninja and be handy in storage of weapons and scrolls, as well as in camouflage." Did he force his sister to learn all rules by heart? "And does your clothing fulfill this conditions?" "No.." "I beg your pardon?" "No, Sir, Captain, Sir!" Seishi and Itachi exchanged some meaningful glances. "Why, I wonder?" "Because.. Please! You can't be serious.." Kakashi's voice staid straight. "Oh, I can. Why, I wonder?" ".. Because, I wore clothes, which were far to small for my body and limited my every move. I couldn't breathe in them and endangered the success of our mission. I was selfish and stupid and beg for your, my teamleader's forgiveness."

"You shall be forgiven.. You're lucky, we're heading towards a village known for its boutiques. Let's buy something for you. And I perfectly know who'll pay." He turned towards Seishi and Itachi who were both lying on the ground and desperately tried to suppress their laughing. Vainly.

"Gosh, this was really embarrassing, that your brother forced you to say this.." Back in the forest of death, Seishi had tears in his eyes because of all his laughing. Itachi and Sayuri looked at each other. Thinking back, they had never told Seishi who really behaved embarrassing that day. Now that he remembered, that day Itachi had given in and had laughed. And only bad things happened because of that. "Which reminds me Seishi.. did you already give me your part of the money I spent for Sayuri's shopping-mania?" Unbelievably, he always lent money to him. Seishi flinched. "...Anyway.. Did that guy you have your shirt from have a scroll or anything helpful?" Oh right.. there had been something which brought them to this topic at the first place. "Guy.. what guy?" Sayuri. Slow as always. Itachi simply ignored her. "Nope.. they had a Heaven scroll, just like we do." "A Heaven? Well that's great!" Now Itachi was the slow one. "Great? Why?" Seishi smiled. "Just think about it. There are six teams. Three with a heaven and three with an earth. That means, there are only two more heaven scrolls except ours. One had those Ying, Yang, whatever, and another one that guy who is now half-naked. In other words.." Now Itachi got it as well and grinned with anticipation. "In other words, the next one we meet will have an earth scroll for sure."


	22. Another failure

_Hey! A new update!_

_I'll be honest with you now I had enough time.. I had vacation for one week_

_the thing is I had lack of motivation.. the last review was like.. ages ago and I feel like no one is reading this anymore_

_But I wanted to have at least one little update now so I could wish all of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!_

_I hope you had a nice christmas as well!_

_I decided that no matter what happens I'll go on writing even if it's for only one reader_

_So if this story suddenly stops.. I'm dead._

_This won't be one of those things I start and never finish -.-_

_This chapter is pretty short because I wanted to update today.._

_But the next one will be an epic fight so hopefully it'll be longer ;)_

* * *

**Another Failure**

"Where are you going?" Itachi shouted at Seishi who had suddenly made himself the leader of their team. "I'll make us succeed!" That's wasn't only NOT the answer of Itachi's question, it was also quite unbelievable since Seishi had been the one who kept holding them back since the very start. "And how do you intend to do that?" Seishi, who had been running like a lunatic up until now, stopped and jumped from the tree he was standing on. The group gathered on the ground. "Listen..", he started and spread a map of the forest. "Where did you get this from all of a sudden?" Itachi was confused. "Who cares?" Typically.. "Now see: The forest is round, it's a circle. The teams were placed everywhere around it by turns, regarding their scrolls. We started here.." He pointed somewhere at the edge, then made five other marks on the circle describing the forest's outline, each with the same space. "Here's earth, heaven, earth, heaven and earth.." Sayuri and Itachi looked at each other. They already knew that before, so what did Seishi want to show them?

"Now look. Let's say that one were those black and white guys." He pointed at one of the marks he had declared as heavenscroll before. "Then they headed right in our direction with great speed to get to us, most likely all night. But in this case.." "Their ways would have crossed with the earth scroll guys between us." Itachi began to understand. That was what he meant. "Exactly! But obviously they didn't! Which means the ones with the earth scroll didn't take the usual way right in the direction of the tower in the middle. They took another one. And as we know.." "Do I get this right?", Itachi interrupted because he didn't like that Seishi was acting as the genius here. "Are we now working with the conclusion that everyone in here is after us?" Seishi grinned. "Oh yes, you've got that right!" Sayuri didn't get a single word. "But.. why? Why us?" Seishi looked at her puzzled and frightened face. "It's only logically, right? They don't want to take any risk. So they're going for the easiest prey. And that's us.. Well, at least that's what they think!" Seishi's eyes had a mischievous glint. He already had a plan. "So you want to trap them before they trap us?" And Seishi's face turned to the expression Itachi hated the most. "Itachi, honey, I always knew we were soulmates!"

Soulmates.. such a thing didn't even exist, Itachi had always been certain about that. Well, at least until he and Seishi worked out a plan to get the last scroll. It was pretty frightening how they finished each others' sentences and were always of the same opinion. For only one second he caught himself doubting. But Seishi as his soulmate? Only the thought made that pathetic stuff they had called breakfast coming back up again.

"Ok.. did everyone understand what to do?" Itachi's "soulmate to-be" said _everyone_ but actually only stared at Sayuri. And Sayuri didn't look as if she had understood a single word. "What to do? But Seishi, you didn't give me a single task!" Well, she wasn't completely wrong with that.

"What are you talking about? Of course I.." "No!" Now Sayuri seemed to be angry. "Because you'd been too busy giving you and Itachi tasks! Just what is going on between the two of you?" Well, those were exactly Itachi's thoughts. Seishi wasn't half the quarrelsome he had been this morning. "Is it possible that you're envious? Don't worry, you're the only one I love." Seishi grinned at her and tried to come closer. Sayuri flinched. "H-hey.. that's not quite what.." "Guys.. please behave! The situation is escalating.." Itachi had enough. That was enough privacy and emotion for one day. In fact it was enough for the next years in his opinion. "What is it? Are you jealous now?" Maybe it was the headache, maybe the annoyance, but now Itachi wanted to see the very Seishi he had felt so sorry for only a few hours ago on the ground of the deepest ocean. "No, okay? One of us has to keep a clear head. We have a mission, we have a plan, and we'll see that through now." Now Sayuri looked motivated, therefor Seishi even less. "Well, no, we won't.." What the..? Itachi started to get angry and this was a rarity. What the hell was his fucking problem? He was the one who thought of most of the plan after all. "You wanna fight? We'll just ambush the enemies without you!" But Seishi stayed calm. "No, Itachi, believe that won't work because those enemies will be right here in 10.. 9.. 8.." Good thing he had his Byakuugan activated the whole time. "What? Why don't you say this earlier?" Seishi opened his mouth to say something but Itachi didn't let him. "Hide!"

And they hid up in the trees, not knowing what was waiting there for them. Three Ninja appeared on the clearance they just had been standing on making their plans. A pretty strange team. First they were not much older than them, second it was an odd constellation with two girls and only one guy. And that one guy didn't look as if he was of big worth, he was somehow green about the gills and seemed to collapse any moment. The girl was gorgeous despite her age, she had long purple hair and dark red lips. And the other girl.. Well she was cute, alright, but looked more like a tomboy. Yet that wasn't the thing bothering Itachi. Also the fact that her haircut reminded him of his brother's didn't really bug him. The thing making his heart stop was that he knew this girl far too well.

"Hey, Itachi, what do you say? Let's get them while they're off guard and take their scroll." Fine thing, those wireless radio. But now Itachi cursed them. "Yeah! Let's do this." Sayuri was already kicking some asses in her mind. "No! We won't! We'll retreat before they notice us!" "I beg your pardon? Are you nuts? I'm 100% certain they have an earth scroll so let's get it and finish this! We won't get another chance like this!" Itachi could understand Seishi's anger, but he had no idea what he was talking about.

"Now listen. I'm the leader and this is an order. We'll retreat and I don't want to hear any more objections." But of course Seishi was of an other opinion. "Hell no! What's your problem?" But it was already too late.

The girl with the spiky hair, who had done nothing but eating one dango after another for a while, threw a glance towards the other one with purple hair. "Yugao, don't you want to get them down already?"

And Yugao got them down. She nodded, formed fingersigns, said something and before anyone could react, the world turned around and three friends were lying on the ground. "Fuck.. What happened?" Seishi moaned and tried to stand up. Strange enough they all landed on the same spot. "I warned you, but you didn't want to listen!"

The three Ninja stepped before them. "My, my, see who we've got there. Itachi Uchiha. What honor." Spiky hair acted as if she was the leader here, which wasn't quite unlikely regarding who she actually was. "You know her?" Seishi sounded reproachful. Itachi stood up and got the dirt from his clothes. "It's been a while, Anko Mitarashi." Sayuri flinched. Reading from her face she knew that name but didn't know where to put it. "Anyway.. Who do you think you are, you b.." Click. And Seishi realized that the one who threw him from the tree was female. "..beauty. Let's forget this little initial difficulties, ok? What about a date?" While Itachi and Sayuri hit their foreheads with their hands in unison, the guy gave Seishi an evil glare. Anko laughed. "You're sure a cute group. But let's come to business. Will you give us the scroll on your own or do I have to take it?" She smiled. Now it was Seishi's turn to laugh. "Of course n-" But Itachi had already the heaven scroll in his hand. "Take it." Seishi and Anko's eyes gaped. "Wow.. that was easy..", Anko noticed and already reached for the scroll, but Seishi was faster. "Have you completely lost your mind? What's wrong with you?" Well, all the agreement and soulmate stuff from a few minutes ago was gone. Seishi squeezed the scroll to his body ready to kill anyone coming close to it. Sayuri tried to calm him down. She seemed to have finally understood the situation. "Seishi.. please.. that girl, she's.." "I don't care who she is!" He was stubborn as ever. "She's Orochimaru-sama's pupil!" Sayuri whispered as quiet as she could even though she knew it was no use. That girl had snake-ears. Seishi's jaw fell on the ground. "What..?" He stared at Anko who smiled at if it was the most usual thing ever to be the pupil of one of the legendary Sanin. But instead of reacting as he should, giving her the scroll and run off, he made it even worse. "So you can.. summon snakes and do.. snaky stuff?" Itachi was wondering whether he should hit his forehead again or whether it would damage his brain. "Well.. yes?" Anko was surprised as well. "Wow.. that's so cool!" And no second later he was standing in front of her. "Maybe the two of us should go on a date as well.." Itachi couldn't believe it. That actually turned him on?

"Sorry.. not interested, kid. But give me the scroll and I won't kill you. How's that?" "Yeah, Seishi, give it to her." "No! I want to fight her!" Itachi was about to doubt he was in the real universe. "Now you're the one nuts.." Anko laughed again. "You should listen to him." And before anyone realized it she already held the scroll in her hands. Seishi looked at her with big eyes, than stared at his empty hands.

"Such a pity, I would have loved to fight you in the third part.. but you've still got time. Maybe you'll make it." Itachi nodded. Seishi still stared unbelieving at his hands. "Oh.. I forgot to introduce us.. I'm Anko, but you know that already. Those are Yugao and Hayate. They're with me because I wasn't allowed to go alone." Itachi nodded again. He knew that she only wanted to have them introduced. "Nice to meet you.. I'm Uchiha Itachi.. They are Sayuri Hatake and Seishi Hyuuga." Anko grinned. "An Uchiha, a Hyuuga and Kakashi Hatake's little sister. Now I really want you to make it. We'll see us.."

She raised her hand and disappeared along with the others. Seishi slowly came back to his mind. "Well.. with my Byakuugan we could still follow them.." Itachi sighed and shook his head. "We'll take the next one. Now it can only become better." Sayuri and Seishi looked at each other and nodded. "There's no way we'll fail!" At least Sayuri was convinced. But now they had no other choice now anyway.

* * *

_Yes, that's it_

_don't be too disappointed and look forward to the next one_

_**HAPPY NEW YEAR! **__I'm looking forward to a good 2011_

_doomsday won't come until 2012 ;)_


	23. The burden of an Uchiha

_If you ever meet me on the street, you're allowed to hit me_

_the gaps between the chapters are becoming greater every time as I'm getting closer to my graduation exams.. I hope you can understand that_

_I'm trying to see this as practice for my english test so I can extend my vocabulary.. so I'll work harder and maybe I'm finally able.. after thousand promises.. to update more regularly _

_maybe you wanna help me and write me a message when you find some big mistakes in here_

_that way I'll be able to improve my writing and the quality of this ff^^_

_now that I think about it.. it's now nearly a year that I started this and my reviews are still.. well.. straightforward... I suck_

* * *

**The burden of an Uchiha**

"I spy with my little eye something that is green!" "Forest.." Sayuri glared at Seishi angrily. "Come on already! Take it seriously!" Itachi shook his head. He couldn't believe it. "Once again! I spy with my little eye something that is green!" "Forest.." Itachi rolled his eyes. "Are you trying to make fun of me? We'll practice this as long as it takes!" Seishi grinned and Itachi buried his face in his hands imagining the following minutes horrified. As Sayuri opened her mouth for another try his patience found its limits. "Give it up already! He said forest the first time, the third time and even now for the fifth time and he won't stop saying it even if you ask him for another ten times. Is that so hard to understand?" Sayuri flinched and stared at the ground. Maybe he had been too harsh to her. "Hey, come on, don't scream at her like that!" Of course Seishi was protecting her and he was the bad one again. "I'm not the one who's kidding her all the time!" "Oh, please, I'm just teasing her a little.. I'm not bullying her!" This was going too far! "I'm not -" But Sayuri's sobbing interrupted him. "It's okay.. I'm just the girl here after all.." She had tears in her eyes. "Do with me whatever you want.." Seishi and Itachi looked at each other shocked, then gave all their attention to Sayuri. "It's not like that!" Itachi had no idea what to say. "Sorry, honey, we didn't mean it that way... We all love you!" Seishi wasn't any better. "Yeah.. right.." The last thing they needed was a sulking Kunoichi.

"Listen, Sayuri.." "Just kidding!" She grinned at them with her broadest smile. Seishi and Itachi stared at her startled. "You fell for it! You know you're not the only ones who can make fun of other people!" Seishi returned her smile and tried to disturb her hair as revenge. It was a load off Itachi's mind. It was a lot easier to work that way. And furthermore she looked far cuter when she smiled. He shook his head at the thought that this was the person he had tried to kiss earlier. Whatever it was, he didn't like what happened to him in her presence.

"And what will we play now?", Sayuri asked. Well, Itachi changed his mind. Maybe it would've been better if she had been sulking. "Something else.. this is starting to get boring." _Starting _to get boring? Itachi shook his head. "Are you serious? Isn't there anything better to do?" Seishi shrugged as answer. "It was your idea to wait until someone attacks us. Tell us what you think we should do to kill some time.." But Itachi stayed silent. He had been thinking about sleeping or something less annoying. "Did anybody bring some cards by chance?" Seishi raised his eyebrows. "Oh shit, that's what I forgot when I went into the big, dark forest with bloodthirsty beasts and even more bloodthirsty Shinobi everywhere! The cards.." Itachi sighed. This was exactly the reason why he hated talking to Seishi. "Anyway, do you really think I will play with you once again? You really think that's fair with your Sharingan?" "You think it's any fairer with you Byakugan?" They glared at each other like rivaling animals, ready to tear the other one apart any moment. "..Boys..? We have no cards anyway so there's no need to fight, right? So let's just get along everyone, ok? I'm sure we find something else to do!" Sayuri. She always tried to settle their disputes. When would she finally see that it was futile? "Oh, I know something! What about telling us the real reason why we didn't fight Anko, Itachi?" Itachi flinched and Sayuri looked confused at Seishi. "But wasn't it obvious? She was too strong for us! She could've killed us!" Sayuri was pretty sure Seishi was making up things to bash Itachi. "Oh no.. She might be strong, but we're not bad either. And she was trained alone. She and her teammates don't really know each other, they have not the teamwork we have. The three of us could have beaten her. So why did you hold us back?" Itachi didn't like the expression in his eyes. "Like Sayuri said. She was too strong for us." Seishi's glare got only more insistent. "I'm disappointed in you. Either I was so wrong about you and you have no pride at all as a Ninja, throwing away your mission because you're afraid of a girl, or you trust us so little to tell us the truth." Now Sayuri's face changed as well. She realized, that no matter what opponent they could have faced, they never would have run away. That was what she had been hearing ever since she could remember. Her life was nothing in comparison to their mission and she should be glad to give it away for its sake.

Itachi stared at the ground. He had lost. "Itachi?" Sayuri couldn't take it seeing him that way. "Well.. it's not important anymore.." He had no idea how to explain it, even if he had wanted to. "Oh no it is! Stop having secrets already!" Itachi sighed. There were things he didn't want everyone to know. "The reason why I didn't want to fight her is because she's from our village.." Seishi raised his eyebrow. "That's all? What kind of reason is that?" Why did Seishi have to be so curious? Couldn't he just be happy with that? "You know my Clan is on pretty strict surveillance recently. They're waiting for someone of us to do something stupid so they have a reason to punish us and get us out of their way. No matter what I'll do, it will all redound on my family. And who knows how Orochimaru-sama will react when I hurt or maybe even kill his student? He has a pretty big influence on Hokage-sama." Neither Sayuri nor Seishi knew what to say. They just stared at Itachi shocked. This wasn't what they had expected. "But.. fighting each other is the sense of this exam! You're not doing anything wrong! They can't.." Itachi shook his head. He seemed vacantly. "Doesn't matter.. As if they were interested in such trivia." Sayuri gulped. She had thought the Uchiha-Clan had a high position in Konoha and nothing to fear. "But why? Why are they supervising you? For what reason? What happened?" Now Itachi's face started to get angry. "For no reason at all! We didn't do anything! They just want us out of their way! They're afraid of our power! That's all!" Sayuri felt sorry for him. Maybe it wasn't that great after all to be part of such a famous family. "That's all? Are you sure?" Seishi's voice was low, but still determined. "What do you mean by that?" It looked like all the anger on the higher ups suddenly was focused on Seishi. "I just wanted to say.. you know, the people talk.." "They talk? So what do they say?" It was strange to see Itachi that mad, it had to really hit him hard. "I think you know pretty well what they say. They say the Uchiha-Clan abuses its rights as police. They say they're acting suspicious as if they were planning something. They say.. they're a threat for the village.. and there are those rumors.." "Nonsense!", Itachi hissed at Seishi, "all lies! Those people know nothing! And what fucking rumors?" Seishi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He saw that he was going too far, he was crossing the line. But there was no turning back now.

"Don't play dumb Itachi.. you know that.. legends. That only the Sharingan has the power to control the Kyuubi!" Itachi's eyes had are strange expression. They were shaking. It wasn't easy to find out if it was the hate, the anger or the shock causing this. Sayuri bit on her lips. "Seishi, do you even know what you're saying?" Now the shaking spread to Itachi's lips. "Of course he knows, right? You damn.. Isn't it easy to have a scapegoat for every bad thing in your life? Isn't it easy to just put all the blame on someone you're afraid of? It doesn't matter if it's true or if it's hurting others as long as your life becomes easier that way, right? So, tell me, where do you have that crap of anyway?" Saying this even his fists were shaking. His voice was so calm again and so full of hate that Sayuri got goose bumps. But Seishi didn't even wink. "Uchiha and Hyuuga mythology are pretty close at that point." Itachi looked in his eyes and smiled derisively. "You actually believe in that crap? You really believe that our pureblooded, invincible Clan is nothing else than the crossing of a foolish Hyuuga woman and – what was it again? – a Tengu? Is that the reason why you hate us that much? Because you're thinking we descend from some bloodthirsty monsters?" It was like a lighting rushing through Sayuri's body when she heard that words. For a second her heart had stopped beating and a tear gathered in her eye. But nobody realized it. They were all too busy with their own problems. "I know how it sounds like, but nobody has ever proven me the opposite." Why wasn't he just shutting up and apologizing to Itachi? He had never wanted to go that far, so why didn't he just stop? He couldn't imagine what he would do if someone said such horrible things about his Clan. "I thought you were a little smarter, Seishi. Tengu don't exist. And so doesn't the mysterious Mangekyo Sharingan which is able to kill someone with just looking at him and control the Nine-tailed fox. Those are fairy tales. The Kyuubi's appearance was a catastrophe, no assault, and anyone believing the opposite should be killed for that." Seishi stared at the ground. He was thinking of a way to get himself out of that situation he had brought himself into. But there was none. Itachi wouldn't listen to any kind of apology while he was so angry. "Boys, please.. please calm down.."

Sayuri sobbed slightly, but again nobody cared. "Shut up!", Itachi snarled at her. "What do _you_ know about that?" Sayuri flinched. Couldn't they just spend a few minutes without fighting and screaming at each other? "I told you before! Don't shout at her! She has nothing to do with that!" Itachi's eyes burned, but before he could answer, and thank god he couldn't, an immense noise made the earth shake. Not far away from them a huge column of smoke soared above the trees of the forest. "This is _so _obviously a trap..!", Seishi stated. Sayuri pulled herself together and wiped the tears from her face. What irony of fate that, of all possible traps, it was this one. The incident back then, which had welded them together more than anything else, had its repetition now where they were fighting like enemies. "So will we fall for the same trick twice?" Maybe it was the hate inside of him which had mad his thoughts irrational, maybe he had been right, but Itachi just murmured "We have no choice anyway" and headed in the direction of the smoke.

Seishi and Sayuri hesitated for one moment, but then decided that he had a point there and followed him. "Itachi.." Now that they were about to face a fight, it wasn't that smart to fight each other. He had to make this up. "You know, that's all not my opinion, that's just what the people say. I don't know your family enough to blame them for anything, but I know _you _enough to be sure that you would never do anything to humiliate the village." Itachi didn't look at him. "Just shut up and die!" Seishi couldn't be mad at him. His pride was hurt and that wasn't easy to cope with. Especially for an Uchiha. "I just wanted you to know that I love you, no matter what happens." He smiled at Itachi as friendly as he could, patted him on the shoulder and enlarged quickly the distance before anybody was hurt. And that anybody was most likely to be him. But Itachi didn't react, he just rolled his eyes. He, too, knew that now was the worst time to fight. Even though he didn't know, that it wouldn't change something anyway.

They landed on a clearance. There were surprisingly many clearances in this forest. Maybe because they were most fitting for fights and this was the forest of death after all. They looked around. There was nothing suspicious to be seen, not even any source of the smoke, which had suddenly disappeared. Itachi didn't like the situation. He didn't like having no idea what was going to happen. Maybe it had been stupid after all to just rush right into that trap. Seishi and Sayuri were nervous as well. They already had a Kunai in their hands. And when the whole clearance was wrapped in creepy laughter, it only grew worse. Where did it come from? Right? Left? From behind? From above? It came from everywhere. A freakshow in dolby surround. Usually he'd ask for Seishi's Byakugan now, but after their fight and his_ shut up and die_ this was kinda contradictory. It wasn't necessary anyway. Seishi had already acted for himself and ran ahead. Usually Itachi would have been annoyed of his foolish and life-threatening behavior and would have called him back immediately, but after their fight and stuff that kind of care was also contradictory. Seishi just ran in the center of the clearance like a lunatic. Itachi felt that something wasn't right. The laughing stopped and faded to giggling. "A Byakugan user, huh? How troublesome." In the direction Seishi was heading to, a person suddenly appeared out of thin air. He wore a cloak so you couldn't see his face. Itachi was shocked. He had never seen such a Jutsu before. It was as though the air had turned into a body.

"Out of my way." The words were enough and Seishi suddenly collapse while he was still running. Itachi's ans Sayuri's hearts stopped for a moment. What did just happen? He didn't even move, but Seishi lost his consciousness as if he was nothing! Just how strong was that guy? "Seishi!" Sayuri screamed and wanted to run towards him. Did she want the same thing to happen to her? Itachi wanted to stop her. He grabbed her arm, but what he got didn't feel like it. He stared at his hands. He was holding her forehead protector. Did she take it off? And why did he grab that when he actually reached for her arm? He looked around him, but she was gone. The only ones on the clearance were now he, the guy and the unconscious Seishi. Itachi got nervous. Where did Sayuri go? She had been here no second ago. At the sight of his shocked face the laughter started again. "Two down, one left."

Two down? What did he mean by that? Where did Sayuri go to? "Time to clean up the trash!" He formed finger signs, far too quick to be realized which ones. "Doton: Muhensai no Keikoku no Jutsu" The moment the man put his hands on the ground, the whole earth quaked. Itachi went on his knees as the ground cracked. A huge gap opened up, right beneath Seishi, who didn't move at all. Contradictory to what he had said or not, Itachi didn't hesitate long until he stood up and ran towards him, grabbing his hand no second too early before he fell into the chasm. And this time it was really his hand. "Seishi! Wake up! Come on, this isn't the time for sleeping!" But Seishi didn't react. He got heavier every second as if something was dragging him downwards, down there in the pitch black chasm, where no bottom could be seen. Itachi tried to fight against it, to get him back up, but it was futile. The laughter got louder and louder and dinned in Itachi's ears. "Give it up! He's doomed!" Itachi didn't even notice when a Kunai pierced through his hand. In shock and pain he let Seishi go. And Seishi fell, like a stone, deeper and deeper into the darkness. Itachi's heart stopped, but before he could even scream, he was ripped off the ground and flew 10 meters backwards and crushed against a tree. It was like back then, like two years ago. Only this time.. Seishi was... Was this a tear in his eyes? He felt like something was wrapping itself around him. Something shackled and choked him. He couldn't breathe.

"Crying already? I was only getting started!" Itachi opened his eyes and tried to see something. Sayuri. She was there, wrapped in roots making her unable to move. The man held her over the chasm. If he let her go now.. "Sayuri!" Not her, too! He couldn't loose her as well! He tried to free himself. But with any move the roots tightened around him. Then he realized it. Genjutsu! It had to be a Genjutsu! That was the only explanation! Itachi activated his Sharingan, hoping that everything would be fine again once the illusion was undone. But it wasn't. Nothing had changed He was still tied to the tree and Sayuri was still about to be killed. "What are you waiting for? Give me the scroll and I promise I won't hurt her!"

All that? All that just for the scroll? Was it worth that? Was a mission really worth a life? Itachi tried to reach for the scroll, but he couldn't. The roots were to tight. "Come on already!" He laughed. He laughed horrifying and thrilling. He never planned to let Sayuri go. He kept him this way, so he couldn't give him the scroll, so he could throw Sayuri down there. To kill her. "Well then.." Sayuri couldn't speak. The roots grew over her mouth. But her eyes told more than she could ever say. She cried. And she had this expression, this expression he knew and hated so much. _Forgive me.. Forgive me for being so weak... Forgive me for making you suffer all the time. _She blamed herself. Like she always did. But he was the guilty one. He wasn't able to protect her. Again he could only watch her, unable to help her. Then there was something else in her eyes. Something so painful, so full of sorrow, that it hurt even Itachi himself. _Fare well. _And the man let her go. And she fell. "Sayuri!" Itachi screamed in despair. "Sayuri!" He couldn't believe it. He was the captain. It was his task to protect them. To protect those two with all his might. And now he had lost them both. _Shut up and die! _Were those the last words Seishi would have heard from him? Would Sayuri die, never knowing how he felt about her? The tears flowed across his face. He had lost them.

"What a pathetic Ninja! Crying during a fight!" The laughter didn't stop. It was taunting now. The man stood in front of him and smiled derisively. "Sharingan, huh?" He laughed even more. "You know what's funny?" He sneered as he took the scroll from Itachi's pocket. "You're right! This all is nothing but a Genjutsu! You sitting here, not able to move, that's all just in your mind. But the fact that your friends just fell in a bottomless chasm and died, that's real." Was that the truth? Did they die, because he wasn't strong enough to see through it? Because he couldn't manage to escape? "Why?" That's all Itachi could think of. Why? Why did he have to kill them? There had been no need to. "Why? 'Why', you ask? You should look at yourself! Just what kind of Ninja are you? A Ninja asking 'Why?'.. Just how did you manage it to kill our master? Show me! Show me the tremendous power within you! The power you had when you tore our master, the strongest Jounin ever, into thousand pieces!" Now Itachi finally realized. All this parallels. All this similarities. All this funny coincidences. He was his student. And he wanted revenge. "I didn't.." "Shut up! You think you can make fun of me? You were on the battlefield! If you didn't kill him, then tell me who else!" Now that he thought about it, it had never been found out. Everyone was sure that it had been some animal. But actually nobody really believed it. Since when were animals able to kill a Jounin? But it was all they had been given as explanation. "An animal.." "An animal? You wanna make me laugh? What kind of animal is able to do this, huh? This was no animal! This was a monster! A beast! And you know the reputation your clan has in our nation? In all the nations? If there was someone to do something like this it would be you!" Again. Again he had to listen to this. When would it stop? When would the people finally see, that his clan hasn't done anything wrong? They had never done anything.. anything to justify those reproaches. "How do you.. how do you dare to say something like that.. talking about cruelty.. while you're the one who kill without any reason?" This was the moment his despair turned into anger. Anger and pure hate. He tried to free himself once again, but this time the roots didn't tighten, they slowly disappeared. The Genjutsu was broken and before he knew it, Itachi was already bowing over the man and hit him. Over and over again. "Without your Genjutsu, you're nothing, huh? That's all that's high level about you!" He didn't stop hitting him, even though he knew it wouldn't bring Sayuri and Seishi back. He didn't even stop hitting him, when his friends, hiding all the time in the trees and watching the situation, appeared. Now there were three of them. But in his rage not even an army could have stopped him.

The other two drew out their knives and were about to strike him down. Only one second before they did, Itachi came back to his mind and dodged. There they were standing, three against one. And two of them had techniques he didn't know. Usually it would've been over now. Itachi's mind was in a haze, but still he knew he didn't stand a chance. But then something strange happened. The three guys - well, it wasn't sure if they were all guys they wore cloaks and their faces couldn't be seen – stared shocked, with gaped eyes, at something behind Itachi. They even trembled in fear. All Itachi could hear was the regular flapping of big wings, not that far behind him. "S-sorry.. S-sorry for everything..! Take them and spare us!" They laid both scrolls, their own and the one they had taken earlier, on the ground right before Itachi. Even though it was stupid, Itachi couldn't do anything else but to turn around. He had to know what was going on there behind his back. First he was blinded by the light of the sunset. Was it already that late? He heard how the three ran away screaming for help. Slowly his eyes got used to the light, and then he saw it. Only a silhouette. The silhouette of an angel. With big wings and a beautiful body. In her arms she carried something.. a person. When she laid Seishi cautiously on the ground, Itachi realized that it wasn't an angel at all. She had short, silver hair, her skin was dark, she had claws at her hands and feet. Her eyes were blood red and her mouth full of sharp, frightening fangs. What Itachi saw that day had been no angel. It had been a monster. A beast. Sayuri.


	24. I Am

_I'm sorry to disappoint you.. but I'm still alive_

_Yeah, and I'm still undependable_

_But I have to say it's all just a question of motivation, really_

_A few weeks ago, when I started to write this chapter, I thought: Hey! Maybe I'll finish this in time!_

_But then something happened.. my English teacher told me how bad my english is and that my grammar sucks and on and on and I was like: NOO! I thought about this ff and felt stupid because everyone who reads it surely laughs at me and makes fun of my baaad english_

_and I missed E! And stopped writing instantly_

_then I figured out that she says this to everyone in my class and my motivation slightly returned_

_and finally, a couple of days before, someone added my ff to the fav list and I was soo happy that I finished the chapter..you see? It's all about motivation!_

_Yeah.. and this is pretty everything what happened.. not regarding a couple of tests, one week vacation and after this week another couple of tests_

_that makes: A huge lot of tests.. but I'll be fine.. I started to feel indifferent about it_

_Now to the chapter.. Many of you – those who read the Manga – will hate me for this chapter because it's soo noot up to date_

_And it's starting.. to cross certain limits of accepting_

_Well maybe I'm just overreacting.. Anyway enjoy this chapter... even though it's not funny at all_

* * *

**I am...**

Seishi sat on the ground and stared at his comrades. They were sitting a few meters away from him. Sayuri was treating Itachi's wounded hand. Well, you couldn't really call it treating, she just wrapped a bandage around it impassively. She avoided to meet anybody's eyes. "Are you alright?", Seishi asked the two. But he got no answer. Not that he had been expecting any, he had already asked about three times and hadn't seen any reaction. "What happened? Will you tell me already?" Still no answer. He didn't understand it. What the hell could have been so terrible that those two where so apathetic? It couldn't have been so bad, they've got the scroll after all. "Come on! That's no fair! I was unconscious all the time, I missed all the fun! You have to tell me at least what happened!" Itachi, who had been busy ignoring everyone and everything around him, finally screw up his courage and answered pissed. "It was no fun at all! What can you remember?" Seishi wasn't sure, but was this a slight trace of caution in his voice? Was there something he was better off not to remember? "Well, I have no idea.. I stepped on the clearance and – click – everything's black. Until I wake up here, finding you two absolutely nuts." Itachi nodded. Judging from his face he was thinking. Thinking for an excuse, for some lie he could tell him. "Will you tell me the truth? I have no idea what happened, but I have the right to know!"

Itachi sighed. When Itachi sighed you never knew if this was a good or a bad sign. Seishi hoped it was a good one and Itachi had decided that it was no use to lie at him. "We've been attacked. By some guys who were former students of the Jounin we had a confrontation with earlier. You know, the one who nearly killed us two years ago. They wanted revenge." Seishi gulped. He didn't expect something like that. That incident was hunting them even now. "Revenge? But you didn't even kill him! It was some beast right?" Sayuri's treatment skills got even worse. She didn't even look at Itachi's wound, she only stared at her own hands. But Itachi didn't realize it. "Yeaah, right.." He didn't sound quite convinced. "A beast.." Something was strange about the way he said that. It was strange in what way his eyes stroke Sayuri for only one second before they looked back at Seishi. But Seishi wasn't able to interpret that gaze. "Well.. then, why did they attack you? Shouldn't they rather.. go out and search that.. animal?"

There was silence for another while. Itachi was thinking again. Then he shrugged. "What do I know about the shit going on in a psycho's mind?" Just like before, he let his eyes wander across Sayuri, only for a second. And Sayuri seemed to feel it and became smaller. Her face hidden in her hair, her movements becoming more slowly. Seishi knew that he had to do something. Something to enlighten this sticky atmosphere. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway. We have the scrolls we need. The time hasn't run out yet. Shouldn't we get going? The tower isn't far ahead. We should be there in only half an hour."

Silence. Again. Nobody was talking to him. Seishi still couldn't understand it. There had been something else. Something they didn't want to tell him. Seishi started to worry about them. Not only because the treatment of Itachi's hand was the most pathetic treatment he had ever seen in his life. "Sayuri? Shall I help you with that?" Sayuri didn't react. Her body was there, but where was her soul? Where was the happy, shining Sayuri? Where was the smile he loved so much? Seishi was confused and angry. Confused, because he didn't know why the two acted so strange and angry, because they didn't bother telling him. But he saw that it was no use. They wouldn't tell him anyway. Something has happened between the two of them, something they had to deal with on their own. And he was only being out of place.

"Yeah, I think you're right. We can't just go and complete this mission. Who knows what will happen? Who knows what awaits us up there in the tower? Maybe there are traps.. or they're attacking us.. or they'll start the third part without giving us any time to relax. You never know what they're doing up there. Those guys are all nuts!" Seishi shook his head to look like he was believing himself what he was saying. "We should relax first and gather all our strength. I'll go and get some food." He stood up and was already about to go. His and Itachi's eyes met. Seishi knew, that he was only waiting for him to disappear and he had a bad feeling about it. But it was too late to turn back now. He nodded towards Itachi and left towards the forest.

No second after Seishi had been out of sight, Itachi drew his hand back from Sayuri's grasp, jumped up and stepped a few meters back. "Don't touch me!" Sayuri didn't move. She stared at her now empty hands, her face still hidden by her loose hair. Her long, silver hair. Itachi looked at his hand. It had been pierced through with a kunai, but it didn't even bleed anymore. "W-what are you?" Sayuri's hands sank slowly towards the ground and clenched. She had to do her best not to cry. "You know who I am.. it's me.. Sayuri.." Itachi's face was filled with disgust and anger. "I know _who_ you are. Well, I know the name you told us.. I asked you _what _you are!"

There was no way out. It was too late, there was no lie Itachi would be content with any longer. Sayuri bit on her lips and buried her nails into the ground "Itachi... please understand.. I can't tell you. I can't explain to you what you saw. Can't we just.." Itachi couldn't believe what he heard. "Leave it to that? Forget it?" Sayuri flinched when he screamed at her. "No way! You're going to tell me what kind of.. thing.. you are. You know I have the right to know! It's all your fault we got into this situation after all!" Sayuri sobbed. For all those years she had known that this day would come. For all those years she had been afraid of it. "I don't know what you.." "What I mean?" Itachi's voice got louder. Sayuri hoped that Seishi would hear it and would return. She needed him.

"It's been you, right? You killed that guy two years ago! You tore him into pieces like a.. like some.. in that form you've been in!" He couldn't even get the word over his lips. It was so unreal. So untrue. Like some nightmare he was caught in. Only that he would never wake up.

Even now when he looked at Sayuri, he hated himself for making her cry again. Even now he wanted to hug and comfort her. But the situation had changed. There were too many things having happened, too many questions remaining unanswered, too many emotions inside of him he didn't know where to put.

"I..I've had no choice. He would have killed us. He would have killed you." Sayuri remembered that day clearly. Itachi lying on the ground, bleeding, dying. She remembered the desperateness and the anger she had felt back then as if she was reliving them at the moment.

Itachi couldn't believe it. She had actually admitted it. He had hoped that he had been wrong, that she would deny it. That everything had been just a big, stupid mistake. "You did it for me? Is it that what you want to tell me? Oh please, spare me!"

Sayuri knew that Itachi wouldn't listen to her no matter what she said. She had to change the topic. "Seishi was right.. we should go to the tower before the time runs out. Maybe we should help him with searching food and get ready." She wanted to stand up, but Itachi was suddenly standing in front of her. His eyes were cold as ice. "You ain't telling me what to do and you ain't going anywhere until I know what you are!"

Sayuri's lips trembled, her face was soaked in tears. "The truth?" She couldn't even speak properly. "The truth is.. that I never.. I never said it.. even once. I never even thought about it.. about those words. Those words.. the truth.." How should she say it? How should she tell him? She didn't even realize it herself. "The truth is.. I am no human." Itachi stepped back. He was shocked. It was the thing he had feared the whole time, the only plausible explanation, but he didn't want to believe it. He couldn't. No human? That was the worst thing he had imagined.

"What are you then?" Why did he even ask? Did he even want to hear the answer? "You know it already, don't you? You already figured out what I truly am."

"How the hell should I know? Tell me!" It felt like lying even though he was sure that he was saying the truth. Pretty sure. Inside of him was pure chaos. He didn't know what he felt. Anger? Curiosity? Excitement? Fear? Or everything at once? "What are you?" His voice was uncertain, a mere whisper.

Sayuri stayed silent. She was thinking. Maybe she had finally found the right way to say it. "What are _you_?" Now Itachi was really confused. Sayuri didn't cry anymore. She was calm and determined. She had decided to be honest, no matter what would happen, no matter how Itachi would react. The question only was, how long this determination would last.

"Why are you asking that? I'm not the one.." Now Sayuri was the one interrupting him. "You know about it. You talked about it with Seishi earlier so you know it. You know about that.. legend.."

Itachi gasped. "Now are you the one starting with that? I'm sick of it, alright? I don't wanna hear.."

"Tell me." Itachi didn't like the way that conversation took. The way Sayuri was gaining control. "Tell me about the story of your Clan. And I'll tell you mine."

Itachi hesitated for a moment. Was it really that smart to tell her? Or was it only fair to exchange family secrets with family secrets? He sighed. Where would this lead to?

"However.. well, I'll keep it short. There's this legend about the origin of the Uchiha-Clan and its Dojutsu. According to it, a long time ago, even before the foundation of Konoha, a woman of the Hyuuga Clan fell in love with - how shall I say it? - a Tengu. A demon, said to be 'men, but not men; bird but not bird; dog but not dog; they possess the hands of a human, the head of a canine, a pair of wings, and are capable of both flight and walking' (*). You see? Something completely ridiculous. Fairy tales.." He said this more to himself then to Sayuri. He had a bad feeling in his stomach. A misgiving. "Anyway.. the name of this Tengu was Sojobo, he was the king or something, and he and the woman had a child. They called it 'Madara Uchiha', the founder of the Uchiha-Clan and also one of the founders of Konoha. He possessed both, the abilities of his mother and the magic, the demonic power of his father. They mixed and along with the human blood, the Byakuugan was spoiled and the Sharingan originated." Itachi took a deep breath. He had said this so fast that his voice had nearly been cracking. He wanted this to be over as soon as possible. "The rest is.. insignificant.. and it's all bullshit after all." He didn't feel like going any further. He didn't feel like talking about the fight between father and son, the Mangekyou Sharingan and the usage of the Kyuubi. The first and the last time anybody was capable of controlling the Bijuu.

Itachi looked at Sayuri nervously. She had something sad in her face, so calm. "Well, I guess you're right.. most of it certainly is bullshit.." Itachi suddenly felt relieved. He didn't know why, he didn't know what he had expected, but he felt better. Still his question was not answered, and Sayuri wasn't finished yet. "I can't tell you how much of that legend is actually true.. but I can tell you one thing: This Sojobo.. the king of Tengu.. actually exists." It hit Itachi like a slap in his face. Did he hear that right? Or was he only dreaming? "Have you.. drunken something? Have you lost your mind? This is absolutely ridiculous! How can you.. say something like this? How can you be so sure?" With every second Itachi's breathing became heavier. He felt that this was the day, the world he knew, the world based on science and logic would shatter in front of him. The world where demons were nothing else but things you tell your children so they do what you say. The world where his Clan was nothing but a victim of silly legends and evil rumors. Everything would break into pieces with only one sentence. The sentence, he had never wanted to hear but had provoked himself. Sayuri looked into his eyes. She seemed like a puppet, cold and aloof. She didn't want to let on, how hard it was for her. That she would break along with Itachi's world saying those words.

"I can say this.. I can be so sure about this.. because that Sojobo.. is my grandfather. I'm a poor-blooded Konoha Tengu."

* * *

_So yeah that's it.. some of you might think: WTF? That's crap! _

_And they'll stop reading_

_But maybe some of you will realize that now it actually starts getting interesting!_

_How will Itachi react? Will they ever be able to be friends again? And will Seishi ever get to know that Itachi had cried at the thought of loosing him? _

_Be sure to read the next chapter.. although I can't tell you when I'll update_

_* Some of you might have noticed this star in the text! I don't know if I have to say this because it's a certain technique called.. montage technique or something like that.. but this "men, but not men.." part is a quote from "Yokai Attack!" from Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt.. which quoted it from "Tale of the Heike" .. I just wanted to say this.. before I get copyright problems or something_


	25. Second Exam  Passed

_Hey everyone ;)_

_I'm quite surprised.. I was hoping the last chapter would give me some pissed reviews.. _

_but you all kept so quite the last.. well it seemed like months_

_I'm really sorry.. I know I wanted to stop with apologies but I have some horrible weeks behind me_

_my oral english test for the A levels.. tests and tests and tests.. just today I had my last physics test_

_and now there are barely four weeks left until my A levels start.. Bavarian A levels I have to say.. there's nothing harder in whole germany.. So please don't hate me if I'm so slow_

_After that I'll have loooots of time! (I kinda keep saying this.. -.-)_

_So here's finally the last chapter of the second exam.. that really took me a while_

_thanks a lot to GottaLoveItachi for your character proposals :D that really helped me a lot_

* * *

**Second Exam - Passed**

The forest seemed like an endless whirl of green. They were moving so fast, that it was nearly impossible to make anything out. You couldn't differentiate between one tree and the one next to it, couldn't see the animals they were passing by, the insects flying in their way, they didn't even recognize the branches they were stepping on. Something was strange. Something didn't feel right.

When they had entered this forest nearly three days ago, they had been three friends. They had been helping each other, kidding each other, laughing with each other. Now they were heading towards the center, towards the tower, towards the end of their mission and so somehow towards the exit. And now? What were they now? Something was different. And everyone knew that this difference was anything else than an improvement.

Seishi looked at Itachi on his right. At their speed he was nothing more than a black flash. But Seishi didn't need to see his face to know what it looked like. He doubted that it had changed since they had set off. One might say it was like always, emotionless, indifferent. But if you knew him better it wasn't hard to read his eyes, to feel the aura around him. He was filled with hate and wrath. Seishi could barely breath in his vicinity. He feared the air was poisoned by his dark thoughts, by his mere presence. Seishi wouldn't be surprised if he dropped dead any moment, crushed by the heaviness of the atmosphere.

He glanced at his left. Where Sayuri was supposed to be, was a silver light. A warm, friendly light shining softly through the dark forest. But this time the light didn't make Seishi happy, it made him sad. She was so frail, she seemed too burst. The lovely light, her lovely face, was drowning in sorrow and pain. And there was nothing he could do about it. Nothing he could say would comfort her, would make her smile return. Just what had happened? Just what had ripped such a great scar in their friendship?

Seishi thought back at the moment he had returned to them. It had been only a few minutes ago.

Sayuri had been on her knees, crying desperately, repeating Itachi's name over and over again. Begging for something, for forgiveness, for mercy, something like that. And Itachi had only been turning away from her, giving her that glare. A glare which had even made Seishi's heart stop, a glare you wouldn't even give your worst enemies. That had made Seishi furious. He had shouted at Itachi, had insulted him and had been about to beat the shit out of him. How could he? Didn't he know what he had been doing to Sayuri? Didn't he know her feelings for him? He might would have killed him if Sayuri hadn't stopped him. Looking in her eyes he had known that he wouldn't be able to raise his fist. It had been far more important to stay by Sayuri's side. Her eyes had been empty, she had cried more tears than she had possessed. And Seishi had known that with Itachi's glare, a part of Sayuri had died.

After that, Itachi had taken over the lead again, like it was the most naturally thing in the world. Without a word they had set off and Itachi had fixed the speed without giving them a reason why he was so hasty. And here they were. In some forest. Three friends who felt like strangers.

The tower was a huge building, reaching high above the trees. On the one side it seemed out of place in the center of such a spooky forest, on the other one it fit pretty well with its rather shabby and old style. Simple yet impressive. Seishi, Sayuri and Itachi entered it without saying a word. It seemed quite unlikely that they would ever talk with each other again. Still, somewhere beyond the destructive atmosphere, everyone was excited to see what would happen now. They stepped into an empty room, nothing and nobody was to be seen. Seishi looked around. There was a big sign on the wall. He quickly skimmed through it. "Blah blah.. earth.. blah blah.. heaven.. blah blah open both scrolls.. and more sentimental nonsense. Okay, I got it. I solved the puzzle. There are two hidden messages in this text: First, it was obviously written by that old geezer, second, I guess we are supposed to open our scrolls."

Itachi rolled his eyes. "Wow, congratulations. And you figured that out all by yourself?" Something was comforting about those words. The fact that Itachi still didn't let any chance to tease him be untaken, gave the situation something normal. Something making him forget for one moment that nothing was normal at all. "It's alright, Itachi, we all know how funny you are." No second later Seishi already regretted saying this. _Normally _Sayuri would have broke into laughter immediately, laughing because of the mere obscure paradox of using the words _Itachi _and _funny _in one single sentence. But she just stayed where she had been, silently staring at the ground as if the floor had been the most interesting thing in the world for the last few hours. Seishi doubted that she was even listening.

So now that nobody was interrupting the conversation, this teasing was destined to go on until one of them was killed by the other. To prevent this, Seishi turned away from the others and looked at the sign another time, then he changed the topic before Itachi was able to say something. "All right then. What are you waiting for? Open the scrolls." Nothing happened. Seishi waited for paper to rustle but he waited in vain. He turned around. Itachi was looking in the air, Sayuri still in the ground. They'd both rather die than looking at each other. "Itachi.. you've got the scrolls right? So come on! Give Sayuri one so you can open them.." Itachi hesitated. He obviously didn't like it when Seishi was telling him what to do. He dragged the scrolls out and looked at them. "Itachi? Have you got four hands?" Itachi looked at him confused. Just where was he with his thoughts? "No, you don't! See? It's mathematics. You need two hands to open one scroll. Therefore, you need four hands to open two scrolls. You haven't got four hands so you have to give one scroll to Sayuri. Is that so hard to understand?" Itachi was still reluctant. It wasn't only because he hated it to be made fun of by Seishi, it was because he didn't want to take any notice of Sayuri, not even when he only had to reach her a scroll. Regardless of the fact, that Sayuri wasn't even capable of open a scroll in her state. Seishi couldn't believe it. He rolled his eyes. "Gosh! Where are we? In kindergarten?" He ripped the heaven scroll out of Itachi's hand and made himself ready to open it. "Ready?", he asked Itachi. Itachi closed his eyes for a moment. No matter where he had been with this thoughts for the last minutes, he did his best to concentrate on the things important. He nodded. Then they exchanged one glance. It was only a blink, but this glance was enough for Seishi to discover a little spark of regret deep behind the hate in Itachi's eyes. It was enough for Seishi to understand, that no matter what has happened between Itachi and Sayuri, the relationship between Itachi and him would not suffer. And it was enough for Seishi to realize that he was able to fix the scars in their friendship, that he was the key to bring Itachi and Sayuri back to what they once were.

Someday. Somehow.

As if they had already practiced it a hundred times, they opened the scrolls in unison. No second later the whole room started to fill with smoke. But the smoke didn't come from fire or anything else, no, there was another source. Sayuri was the first to realize. "Drop the scrolls! That's Kuchiyose!" Kuchiyose? The summoning technique? Was this a trap? Did they want to set some animal on them?

Seishi had actually only been joking when he had said that he expected some surprise attack. Hadn't they tortured them enough already? Seishi and Itachi went into fighting position. "Hey, hey, it's alright. Be careful, you two!" They knew this voice too well unfortunately. Sayuri's eyes gasped. It was neither fear nor happiness in her face, yet both at the same time. When the smoke slowly dissolved, a haircut appeared which looked like a silver hedgehog. And then a figure appeared, the face masked except for one single eye. Maybe he was smiling when he looked at his little sister. "Well done! I knew you could do it!"

Now Sayuri was in a pinch. Forcing a smile or breaking down in tears? She looked so desperate. Now Kakashi realized it as well. Her soaked face, her red eyes, her pitiful appearance. "What's wrong? Has it been so horrible? Three day without me?" Was he trying to cheer her up? He should know, just like Seishi did now, that there had been something indescribable, something no forest of death could ever cause. Otherwise her face wouldn't be a mirror image of limitless guilt.

Sayuri stared on the ground. Kakashi turned around towards Itachi to get an explanation. But Itachi responded his asking face with a glare of absolute disgust. Was something wrong with Sayuri's whole family? Kakashi turned around towards Seishi and seemed pretty relieved when he noticed there was at least one person still normal here. Seishi wished he could give him an answer. He'd kill for knowing what had happened. And he was a Ninja after all. Killing was no big deal.

But it was no use anyway, so Seishi couldn't do anything but shaking his head sheepishly and shrugging. Kakashi looked at him suspiciously and gave Sayuri a worried glance. "Well, we'll discuss that later. I have a job to do here after all. The others are already waiting inside."

"The others?" Seishi had already forgotten why they were even here. Kakashi ignored him anyway. "You have successfully passed the second exam. Now I have the annoying duty to talk with you about Hokage-sama's quote there before we can meet with the others to prepare you for the third."

Hearing that Seishi finally started to realize. Those last three days had been nothing more than an exam. Three days. So many things had happened that they appeared now like three years. They had been attacked by those creepy twins and had nearly killed them, had talked a lot about past and stuff, had run into Orochimaru's student and her friends and then had had a fight with some people Seishi still hadn't seen or had any idea about. All of that seemed so far away. The only thing significant now was that mysterious argument between Sayuri and Itachi. And still everything they had gone through had only been in order to pass some foolish test.

"_If you lack heaven, seek wisdom, be prepared, If you lack earth, run in the fields, seek advantages. _I guess you all know what this means, right? Even your weaknesses. It's only logical. And it's the most important thing if you want to be a Shinobi. Sticking to this and not even the last exam will be a problem for you.." He paused for a moment. "Well.. only one will be able to come through after all."

Seishi gulped. Only one? Did that mean that only one would be able to become Chuunin. Anko had said something about a fight. What would they face? A tournament? "Let's go!" Kakashi turned around and they followed him.

They came into a huge hall which looked like an arena. The sides had platforms for an audience, only one was open. There were giant statues of hands forming a fingersign. In the center of the room they were already waiting. A few jonin surrounding the Hokage and a few Genin standing in two rows. Two teams were left aside from them. And all the eyes in the room were concentrated on them. Anko grinned at them with her creepy face. It was something between confirmed expectancy and evil anticipation. A glance you'd expect from a snake. And Seishi returned it the same way. He couldn't wait. Fighting the pupil of a legend.

The other team consisted only of two people. But neither of them seemed to be of the nicer kind. It was enough to look at their protectors to know that. The sign of Kirigakure. The bloody mist. Seishi gulped. Just what was waiting for them?

"What are you waiting for? Go down already!" As in trance the three followed Kakashi's order and jumped from the platform down to the arena. Everyone had something in his mind now. Everyone was frightened and full of nervousness. Everyone could feel it but no one would admit.

They built their own row next to Anko's with, naturally, Itachi at the front position. Seishi stared at his back while Sayuri's cold trembling hands grabbed his from behind. Was he supposed to decide for one side? How could he?

The Hokage smiled at all of them with his usual smile. The happy smile saying that everything was fine and will always be. "Congratulations all of you! You made it through the second exam!" The hall stayed silent. No laughing, no applause. Everyone was just to tense. Well,... nearly everyone. "Yeah, fine! Stop that talking already and go on with the tournament!" Everyone flinched. That Anko sure had a sharp tongue for a girl. Did she even know who she was talking with? But the Hokage only laughed. Orochimaru was his favorite student after all. Maybe she got some bonus. "Well, then. Let's talk about the third part. Usually we have to make a screening at this point for the actual third exam. But today it's just perfect. We have exactly eight Genin here since one already made his way home." Everyone leered at the Kirigakure-nin. So that was the reason there were only two of them. The one with glasses stared at the ground, the other one with the longer black hair tried to hide his anger in an artificially indifferent glare. He looked a lot like Itachi. Both of them didn't seem quite happy. The third one didn't go voluntarily as it seemed. "As explanation. The third part, as Anko already said, is a tournament. One vs. one. There'll be four fights in the first run, two in the half finals and only one in the final. So in the end only one of you will be the winner. Yet everyone of you has the chance to become Chuunin. It depends on the way you fight and the qualities you show. Got that?" They nodded in unison. "We'll draw you're first opponent. Everyone gets a number and his position. The tournament will be in one month. Until then you have time to prepare. Any questions?" Seishi raised his hand. "Yeah! Why in one month? Why not now?" He was so looking forward to fighting Anko. Or maybe even Itachi. He couldn't resist. He wanted to fight them. One of them. Or both. Now and not in one month.

The Hokage only laughed once again. "I really admire your impatience, but we have a lot of preparations to make. People to invite and so on. And furthermore you just came from a survival trip. Rest first. This month will be very precious to you. You'll see. So please. Everyone come and draw his number." Seishi had to settle for this. He sulked a bit but the excitement about his first opponent made him forgetting everything soon. They all drew there numbers, one after the other. Sayuri panted for air when she got one, she didn't want to be the first. Seishi got 7 and Itachi 5. And one of the Jounin noted the numbers down on the board. "Here's the constellation for the first row! First fight: Sayuri Hatake vs. Utakata. Second: Yugao Uzuki vs. Chojuro. Third: Itachi Uchiha vs Hayate Gekko. And last: Seishi Hyuuga vs. Anko Mitarashi. We'll see you in one month!" Seishi could barely hold his excitement. Just how lucky was he? Everyone looked at him pitifully because they thought he had no chance anyway. But he could barely hold it. He could fight Orochimaru-sama's pupil. And if he was able to beat her, he'd be able to fight Itachi afterwards. He couldn't be more grateful to his fate.

Yet before he could fight anyone he had something more important to do. Sayuri and Itachi. He wouldn't let those two stay that way. Definitely not. He promised this to himself even though he had no idea about what had happened. Would he really be able to stop the ball having been set rolling by the argument of the two? Especially since nobody could imagine the heaviness of that ball.

Two finished – one left to go

* * *

_so I hope you all had a little fun reading this :)_

_You see the next chapters will become pretty interesting.. fights and more secrets o.O_

_I can't wait :) Maybe some of you feel the same way!_

_Please keep reading_


	26. A beautiful night

_It's been a while again.. I actually wanted to update sooner but that chapter just turned out to be a lot longer than expected_

_We'll come to know a lot of new things.. and finally some questions will be answered. _

_I read through a few older chapters and realized that back then they were much funnier ._

_I hope the storyline will allow me to be funny again soon.. but now it's kinda unfitting_

_We'll see^^ I hope you can enjoy this chapter anyway :D_

_By the way, I don't know about other countries but we in Germany have Mother's Day today^^_

_So to everyone who feels referred to: Happy Mother's Day ;)_

_Starting next week I have my last exams for A levels for three weeks straight_

_So please understand that the next chapter will take it's time as well.. please wish me luck ;D_

* * *

**A beautiful Night**

The night could have been so beautiful. The moon was so full and bright that the landscape, the grass, the trees, the houses, were soaked in a soft, white and silver light. A small part of the brightness reached through a window in a room. The moonlight enlightened the darkness and reflected on thin threads, long silver strings and made them shine. The night could have been so silent, no bird was screaming, no wind made the leaves rustle. Only there, in this room, beneath the shining silver strings was a disturbance of the silence. Chocked and desperate sobs. A little girl was lying in her bed, crying in her pillow. A shadow stroke her for a second, a silhouette made its way through the room and stopped in front of the window. Again silver hair shone in the moonlight. The moon mirrored in an eye filled with thoughts and questions. And the sobbing was accompanied by a deep sigh.

"Stop crying already.. it won't make anything undone." But the crying didn't stop. It was only interrupted from time to time. "I'm sorry", "I'm so sorry". Like a mantra it continued. Over and over again. "It's alright now.. what's done is done.. what's said is said.. Your apologies and your crying won't make the time flow backwards." And still his words had no effect. Kakashi stared at the moon and thought. He wondered how he could calm his sister down. He wondered how he could clean the mess she had caused. Was that even possible? He wondered how their future would look like. What would happen now? He turned around and looked at her. Her face was hidden in the pillow but still she was so beautiful. Beautiful and fragile, cute and pitiful. From the very first day he had known it. From the first time he had seen him, he had known that this guy would turn her into this sooner or later. That this brat would tear her apart, would break her into pieces. He had known it all along, and yet he hadn't been able to prevent it. "Sayuri.." His voice was a whisper. How much he hated it seeing her like this. "Don't say my name.. Don't look at me! I'm not worth it!" She sobbed even louder. "How can I ever look at you again? I'm the worst! I don't deserve to be your sister!" Kakashi sat on her bed and stroke her hair. "Don't say such things.. You know.. you're the most precious thing to me!" She slowly calmed down, but her fingers clutched the pillow. "How can I? After all I've done? After all the trouble I cause us? What will happen now? Will they kill us? Will they banish us? I don't even know what's worse!" Kakashi couldn't take it. A ten-years-old girl shouldn't think about such things. She shouldn't feel such guilt, such fear.

"Nothing will happen! It's alright! We have the promise! The treaty! Remember?" Why did he remind her? Why did they have to remember all that? They barely got over it. Finally. And now? "What treaty?" Sayuri was almost hysteric. "What promise? It's all worthless! It's no use! There is a condition! It must never.. NEVER.. come to the public! NEVER let anybody know! And now.." She started to sob again. "now.. they'll kill us.. they'll banish us!" She continued crying. She really believed in what she was saying. She really blamed herself. "They won't! I promise you, they won't! Why should they? We never did anything against the rules. We never gave them reason to mistrust us!" "Reason?" Sayuri raised her head abruptly. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and desperateness. And hate. "Since when do humans need a reason? You know it, don't you, Nii-san? What humans don't know, that's what they fear. And what humans fear, that's what they hate. And what they hate.. they.. that's.. they'll kill us. They'll want to get rid of us! Just like they -" But she couldn't go on. Kakshi's glare made her quiet. She cried and sobbed and screamed. Terrible to look at. Unbearable. Being banished or being killed? What was worse? This was the village they had been raised. This was the village they loved. How could they live without it? But he wouldn't let it come that far. Never. It was his duty as her brother to keep her away from this pain. "Maybe you're right and a humans' promise isn't worth anything. But _I _promise you that I'd never let you be killed or banished or anything else. I'll protect you with my life." Kakashi's gaze was so certain, it left no room for any doubts. He was her brother after all. The one she could always rely on, the one who'd catch her no matter how deep she'd fall. But how? "How can you be so sure? It seems pretty hopeless, doesn't it?" She wasn't the little kid anymore who believed that her brother had an answer for anything in the world. She had told someone about their real identity. He'd tell others. And before they could do something to protect themselves, the whole village would see them as a threat and would try to get rid of them. They'll be either killed or banished. These were the only logical consequences. He sighed. "You only told Itachi, right? Nobody else?" She shook her head confused. What difference did it make? "You know.. We might be lucky then." Now Sayuri really looked confused. Lucky? How could they even believe in such a word right now? "What do you mean?" Kakashi looked in her deep asking eyes. "You know.. the elders aren't the only ones who know about it.. the leaders of the Uchiha Clan know as well.. and as Itachi is the son of the head, he would have learned the truth sooner or later anyway." Sayuri's eyes gaped. First she was in shock, then her face slowly changed in anger. "You.. you tell me all this now? After I worried so much.. you want to tell me that -" The tears started to flow again and the desperateness returned. "You want to tell me that it was all in vain? That Itachi and I.. we never had a chance.. never.. from the start?" Sayuri sobbed. She thought back to that moment she had seen these sparks in Itachi's eyes. The moment he had nearly kissed her. All these times she was so happy being with him. All those times she had hoped that they'd be more than only friends one day. All of that had been a lie? Even if Itachi had never seen her in that form.. even if she had never told him about it.. one day he would have known. And this day would have been the end. Who could love a monster like she was? What kind of human would even think about kissing the lips of a demon?

Kakashi stroke her hair. There weren't much things he cared about. He really didn't care about a lot. But he hated it seeing his sister like this. "I always told you, didn't I? I warned you of getting too close to him. I never wanted you to go through this." Sayuri grabbed his hand and held it fiercely. "But.. but I.. I still love him! I still love him so much it hurts!" The more she cried, the worse Kakashi felt. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to his chest. "I know.. I know.." He had no idea how long they had been sitting like that. But as time passed Sayuri slowly calmed down. Her breathing went slower and she sobbing stopped. Yet the tears went on flowing. Like a never stopping waterfall.

Then, after a while, her voiced returned. It was only a whisper, quietly breathed against Kakshi's chest. "Why?", she asked, "Why does the Uchiha Clan know about it?" Kakashi stroke her hair once again. "Because they're one of the foundation Clans." Sayuri was silent now. It was the Senju and the Uchiha Clan who founded Konoha back then. The Senju Clan got the leading position as Hokage, the Uchiha Clan became the police. "But why.. why are they treated so badly?" Sayuri remembered Itachi's words. The hate and the sorrow in his eyes. Why did they have to move in a separate section? Why were they watched? Why were they mistreated like this? Kakashi just shook his head. "Don't think about it. The Uchihas don't deserve your pity. And they don't deserve your love."

These words had been supposed to cheer her up. But they made her even sadder. And angrier. "How can you say that? The Uchihas-" Another glare of Kakashi shut her up a second time. He looked very strict now. "You should know by now, right? You've seen it with your own eyes. The Uchihas are all a bunch of arrogant, narcissistic and narrow-minded people. They don't care about anything else but themselves and act like they were the kings of the world. Don't spend too much thoughts on them. Just be happy you're rid of him." Sayuri couldn't believe he had actually said that. Why did he hate them so much? "What are you saying? What about.. Obito?" Kakashi flinched. Sayuri really hated bringing up her brother's dead best friend. Kakashi was always so sad when they talked about him. But Obito had been an Uchiha as well. And he hadn't been like that at all. He had sacrificed his life to save Kakashi's. And he had given his eye to him. "You can't compare Obito with them.. he was an exception." Her brother turned his face away. The memories seemed to really hurt him. The memories of the war. "But how can you be so sure that Itachi isn't an exception as well?" She whispered. She knew those words would hurt him. But she just couldn't leave it like that. Kakashi was a very calm and composed person. Sayuri maybe was the only one who knew how to change that. "Do you know what you're saying? Itachi is the prime example for all that!" Sayuri bit on her lips. "He's not!" She jumped up from her bed and nearly collapsed. All the crying had put her to the edge of dehydration. But after she had closed her eyes for a moment she was better. "He's different!" She was sure about that. Maybe others saw him as just another Uchiha, indifferent and selfish. But Sayuri knew he wasn't. His eyes were different. His eyes could be so kind. "He saved my life. He nearly died for my sake! How can you call this narcissistic?" She turned away and went to the window. Once again the moonlight reflected on her silver hair and made it shine. Once again Kakashi sighed. "I know what he did. And I really am thankful to him. But that's been two years ago. And now he has no problems at all with breaking you into pieces. Open your eyes already. He's just like all the others. He doesn't give a shit about you. He saved your life and you fell in love with him because you felt like you'd owe him. But it's all right now. Let go of him before he drags you even deeper in your despair." The tears flowed across Sayuri's face. In the moonlight they looked like little crystals. Iridescent and pure. "But.." "No!" Kakashi took her hand and looked her straight in the eyes. He wiped the tears out of her face. His voice was vehemently. "The Uchihas don't deserve your pity. And they don't deserve your love."

He left and Sayuri was alone in her dark room. She stood in front of the window and looked towards the moon. He was wrong. Sayuri had never thought that she'd owe Itachi loving him. She had never seen it this way. She loved him. Not only because he saved her life. She loved him, because he was him. Not the guy he wanted to seem like. Not the Uchiha. But him. He was kind and somehow he was even funny. He didn't talk often but he had a beautiful voice. He didn't laugh often but when he did the world stopped turning. He was always fighting with Seishi but the more they fought, the more they liked each other. And his eyes. His eyes were dark black and supposed to be cold like the rest of the family. But his eyes could be happy and sad, pitiful and pissed. No matter how indifferent his face was, his eyes always showed how he really felt. That's what she loved most. Yeah, she loved him. She always would. No matter how much he hated her.

At the other end of Konoha Itachi was lying in his bed and stared at the ceiling. He didn't know how long he had been already lying there, he didn't know how late it was. Maybe it was time to sleep? He should start the training the next day. But he couldn't even think about sleeping. He wasn't tired at all and too many things were in his mind. Tengu? The word seemed so strange. So unreal. Like a fairy tale. Like a dream. Maybe if he was just wishing it enough, he'd wake up and would find himself lying next to Sayuri in the forest. So beautiful and human as she had been in his memories. Wasn't it ridiculous to sleep in a dream? He should just wait here to wake up, no matter how long it took.

Yet he knew that he wasn't sleeping. This was real. Sayuri was really a Tengu. Everything fit. That word was the last part of the puzzle he had searched for so long. The puzzle solving so many questions. Why did Sayuri possess so much Chakra? Why was her Ninjutsu so strong? Why did her body mature faster than those of other girls? Why has she never spoken of her family except of Kakashi? What was about the conversation he had eavesdropped back then between her and the elders? (Chapter 14) What seal? What truth? All this questions were answered with only this one word. And still there appeared so many new questions. What about Sayuri then? What did she hide from them as well? Was she even the person they knew? Did she deceive them all the time? Had their friendship been a lie all the time? How many people has she killed just like that guy back them? Did she enjoy it? Was she.. a monster? A monster enjoying killing and thirsting for blood? What should he believe? What did he want to believe? And what did this all mean for him and his Clan? _Tengus are real. They exist. _If this is true.. what about the legends of his Clan? Are they true as well? That was too much. It was just too much.

Itachi kept staring at the ceiling without actually seeing it. He didn't even realize it when a head suddenly appeared in front of his, only inches away. "Good evening, future Chuunin!" Shisui grinned at him with a proud smile and held a bottle of champagne in the air. "I heard you had some problems first but then you made it through the second exam! Congratulations! I came here as quickly as I could, but I was pretty busy you know.." Shisui was like always. Itachi didn't know whether he should be happy about his presence. It was good to hear his words, good to see that there were things which would never change. And if there was someone who had all the answers to his questions it was Shisui. But he couldn't just ask him like that. And he had a horrible headache.

"Good thing you're not sleeping already! We have to celebrate this properly!" He sat down on Itachi's bed right next to him. "You didn't really bring _champagne, _did you? I'm ten, you know!" The problem wasn't the alcohol. The problem was that he wasn't in the mood at all. Shisui looked at him quite offended. "Oh.. I see. I'm sorry I'm not you're little Hyuuga friend with an endless supply of beer and an illegal Marihuana plantation in the backyard." The next moment Itachi sat straight in his bed. His sight blurred for a moment and his head hurt even more. "Are you nuts? There's half a police squad down there." He pointed with his head towards the floor. "And there's not such a thing as a Marihuana plantation", he added whispering. Shisui just grinned mischievously. "So you'll drink with me or what?" Itachi rolled his eyes and let himself fall back in his bed. Maybe he had no endless supply of beer but he sure had something in common with Seishi. He was just as stubborn. "I'm just too tired now. I can't do anything right now.. Can't we just do this tomorrow?" Shisui sighed and gave in." Well you sure are. Just look at you. You haven't even changed yet. What's that shirt anyway? Is it new? It doesn't even really fit you." Itachi turned to the side and stared into thin air. "That's a long story.." Right, he still wore that shirt he had taken from this other guy. After his own had been burnt down. By Sayuri. "I've got time." Shisui laid down next to Itachi and looked him in the eyes. He seemed to be a bit worried. "If you're tired, why don't you sleep?" Itachi didn't answer. "Don't you want to take a shower? You'd really need it." Still Itachi showed no reaction. "You know, we could take a bath together like in old times. I'd rub your back." Now, finally, the dead face raised an eyebrow. "You sure you haven't been on a Marihuana plantation today?" And of course, Shisui grinned. "I just wanted to see whether you're still alive." Itachi moaned. He really wasn't in the mood for Shisui's jokes. "Correct me if I'm wrong.. but shouldn't you be a little happier in situations like this? I mean you've passed the second exam." Maybe Shisui was right. Maybe he really should. But he just couldn't. "I've got a lot of things on my mind.." That had been surprisingly honest. "Because you have to fight Anko Mitarashi in the second fight? I'm sure you'll make it. It's still a month anyway.." Right.. the tournament. He had already forgotten about it. Was it so naturally now that Anko would beat Seishi? He wasn't really sure about that. "That's not it.." A mere _yes _would have been enough. Now Shisui wouldn't let go. "Ok.. well you know you can tell me everything. We're best friends after all. I'll just keep lying here until you feel like talking."

Since when was he so understanding? Wasn't he even a bit curious? Or was he just trying to be considerate? Itachi looked in his eyes. Dark black eyes like his. Dark black hair like his. They were of the same Clan, they shared the same education, the same blood. If there was someone he could trust, wasn't this him? "Shisui.. do you believe in.. supernatural stuff?" Shisui's face didn't change a bit, but he was a bit surprised. "Supernatural? You mean like people jumping 10 meters high, spitting fire and live after being pierced through by a few dozen knives? Is it that what you mean by _supernatural_?"

Itachi was confused. That wasn't the answer he had expected. Even though he didn't know what he had expected anyway. "N-no.. that's not quite what I meant.. I was talking about.. something like.. non-humans.. demons." He couldn't interpret Shisui's face now. Was that shock? "Why do you ask?" Why did he bring himself to this. What should he say now? _I know one? _And what was with Shisui's reaction? Shouldn't he laugh at him because he was saying such nonsense? "You'd never ask me something like this without a reason so I'll just guess. Did that wretched bitch say something to you?" Itachi sat up. Now he really was confused. "Are you talking about Sayuri?" How did Shisui draw an connection from demons to Sayuri? He flinched. "What do you know?" Shisui sat up as well. He looked really serious. "That's what I ask you." What the hell was the meaning of this? Did this mean that Shisui was aware? "I saw her.. I saw something I shouldn't have.." Shisui grabbed Itachi's shoulders and glared at him. "Please tell me you mean you saw her naked.." Itachi shook his head. Now he actually wished it had been that way. But it just wasn't. Shisui knew just well what he had seen. "She told me.. she's a Tengu." Shisui took his hands from his shoulders and stared on the ground. "I see. Well then, it can't be helped. It was good you told me." Itachi couldn't believe it. He knew it? He knew it all along? "What do you mean by this? What do you know? You have to tell me!" Shisui just shook his head. "It's alright, now. This has nothing to do with you anymore. This is something only concerning the police. She's broken the treaty. Maybe we can finally use this to get rid of her. That's just what they get. Danzo should have used a curse seal from the very start." Itachi didn't understand a single word. Treaty? Curse seal? And who the hell was Danzo? "Wait.. Shisui! Explain this to me! What do you mean by getting rid of her? Just what is going on here? Is it really true? Do those.. Tengu people actually exist?"

Shisui didn't say anything, but this was answer enough. He still hadn't understood a single word Shisui had been talking about, but he really had a bad feeling about this. "What do you know? About them.." Shisui hesitated and looked away. "You really don't need to know.. but you won't stop bothering me, am I right?" Itachi didn't bother other people. He _was _bothered. But this time he would turn the tables and so he nodded. "Well then..", Shisui sighed. "That's a pretty long story. You have to know before this village was founded this area was Tengu territory. When Hashirama Senju searched for a place to establish a Ninja community, he decided for this place as it was hidden in the forest and protected for ancient times. The Tengu agreed as long as they were allowed to reside in Konoha, so they became a part of this village, exchanging secret and powerful techniques with infrastructure and technical progress." He made a pause so Itachi had time to understand. The Tengu had always been a part of Konoha? So why did nobody know? And were was the rest of them? Now that Itachi though about it, he had never met a single family member of Sayuri except for Kakashi. "What happened?" "The third Ninja World War happened.. Some Tengu became Ninja and went on missions like the rest of us, but they refused to take part in the wars. They didn't take part in the first and in the second and the elders had accepted their decisions. But during the third Konoha had great problems. They were about to lose. So they asked for the help of the Tengu. But they still refused. They said they didn't want to get caught up in human affairs. The elders begged on their knees but they still refused. That wasn't all though.. The population started to become suspicious. The Tengu have a long life expectancy so it seems as if they don't age at all. The people became frightened, and the Tengu became more and more a nuisance. Then, finally, the rumors started. There was another Tengu Clan in the north, in the land of earth. The Tengu were accused to work together with them and sending information to Iwagakure. That did it. It was decided to banish them from Konoha. All of them." Shisui said this with a pleased tone. He was actually happy about all that. But to Itachi it sounded strange. They had been banished? From there very own land? Why did they put up with it?

"But Sayuri and Kakashi are still here, aren't they? What about them?" Shisui nodded. "That's a little complicated. Their father, 'Konoha's White Fang', didn't want to leave the village. He separated himself from the rest of his family and agreed to fight in the war. But only on condition that his children were allowed to stay as well." "I see.." Itachi slowly started to get it. This was all a long string of sorrow and painful decisions they were caught in. It wasn't Sayuri's fault. But that didn't change that she wasn't human. And never once told him. Not even when he had been about to fall for her. "But now this is finally all over. All they had to do was to shut up over their real identity. But they weren't even able to do that much. This will be reason enough to get them off to where they belong to. To the rest of the rotten freaks that they are." Shisui's words were filled with hatred and disgust. Itachi knew this way of speaking very well. It was the same way he had talked to Sayuri before. "No." Shisui was confused. It wasn't rare that Itachi sounded so decisive but he didn't understand the situation. "What?" "You won't tell anyone what I just told you. You'll keep this to yourself." Shisui shook his head as if he had the feeling that his imagination was running riot. "Are you nuts? This is the perfect chance! Who knows if we get one like that ever again?Don't you want to get rid of them as well now you know the truth?" Shisui was pretty dogged in his attitude that Tengu were the incarnation of evil. But they weren't called demons for nothing, right? So maybe he was the one in the wrong after all. "I'm not sure.. whether Sayuri really is such a bad person she deserves this.." Itachi averted his head so he didn't have to see the expression on Shisui's face. His eyes gaped, his jaw flapped open. Then he started to laugh derisively. "Oh my God! I can't believe it! She already got you that far? She already turned your head that much? Open your eyes, Itachi! She's a fucking demon! What do you even know about her? She doesn't deserve your.. pathetic sympathy! You have to do what's right! Not for a single person but for the village!" Itachi bit on his lips. "I know her much better than you do. And I can't believe she's.. that way. I mean.. I always thought of her.. as a lily." Shisui only laughed harder. "A lily? You mean like innocent and pure? Have you completely lost your mind? I mean think about it? You remember that guy who nearly killed you two years ago? She was the one who slaughtered him. She ripped him into a few thousand bits. Just what kind of person does such things? She's a monster, the only thing she cares about is killing! So how can you protect her? If you want to compare her to a flower, why don't you choose a sundew?" Itachi couldn't answer. It was really rare to see Shisui that furious. "Yeah, right! A sundew! She lures you with her sweet smell and once you touch her it's over. You won't get rid of her until she digested the last bit of you and there's nothing left! Don't you think this is a better Metaphor? Nobody ever said that Tengu don't eat human flesh!" Itachi's lip was already numb. What should he say now? Nothing he could say would make Shisui change his mind. And what if Shisui was right after all? When the Sayuri that he thought he knew never existed? It made him sick. What should he believe? "Shisui.. I.." "NO!" Shisui suddenly grabbed him and pressed him on his bed. Itachi stared surprised and confused in the eyes of the guy bowing over him and holding him tightly to the bed. "You don't need that Sayuri! And you don't need that Seishi! Do you get that? All you need is me!" Shisui was almost desperate. Itachi didn't understand. He didn't get it all. Just what was going on? He had never seen Shisui like this before. Did they still talk about demons and flowers? But maybe that wasn't that bad. "Shisui.. let's just change the topic, okay?" His eyes were empty. He didn't seem to understand himself what he had done. "I'm sorry.." He let go of Itachi and stood up. Then he just sat on the edge of the bed and sad nothing anymore.

"I'll change and go to sleep now. We'll celebrate tomorrow, ok? I'm just not in the mood now.." Itachi stood up and took his - or better the stolen - shirt off. He felt Shisui's stare in his back but he didn't dare to turn around and say something. He looked in the mirror. He really looked like shit. Well the past three days had really been quite hard. It was a miracle he was still alive. He only had to look at his two, bandaged hands. One had been pierced by a Kunai, the other one had stopped a huge ax. Those would become some great new scars. Speaking of scars, now that he stood in front of the mirror, half naked, he noticed once again that scar on his shoulder. All the other scars had been removed by Tsunade quite well. All of them but that one, who should remind him of something he had forgotten. He still blushed when he remembered that. That had been so embarrassing. He touched it carefully with his bandaged fingers. Just where did he get that from? Why couldn't he remember? "What are you staring at?" Itachi flinched when Shisui was suddenly standing next to him again. His presence somehow made him feel quite uneasy. Not only because of what had happened but also because of those strange gazes he got from him. "I was just wondering about that scar.. The fact that I have it now for such a long time.. Do you think I might have gotten it during the war?" That was the only plausible answer Itachi had been thinking about for a while now. "Could be.. you can't remember a lot from that day anyway, right?" Shisui sighed. "Must be nice.. being able to forget about all the bad memories.." Itachi shrugged. "I really want to remember.. the more I think about it, the more it bugs me." It was really strange. He hadn't felt that way before, he only started recently. Trying to remember that day when Konoha had been attacked, it was like running through fog. He felt like seeing silhouettes, he felt like knowing what they were, but he just didn't. Like you want to say something, but you just can't remember the word. You know it's somewhere in your head, it's on the tip of your tongue, but you just can't reach it. And still he wanted too reach it that badly. He had the feeling that it was very important. "You should just be glad. Nobody wants to have the pictures of corpses and people close to you being killed in front of their eyes in his head. Just be grateful you were allowed to forget." Itachi grimaced without taking his eyes from the scar. "I never asked to forget.." Shisui kept staring at him silently. "I want to know it.. Do you know how it feels to want something so badly but you just have no chance to get it?" Shisui gasped for breath and averted his eyes. "Pretty.." He really behaved strange lately. "What's wrong with you?" Itachi just didn't understand it. "It's nothing.." Shisui went back to the bed and sat down again. "I was only wondering.. maybe it'll help when I tell you what I know about that day. About what you did at least." Itachi looked at him surprised. "You'd do that? All I can remember is that I woke up in hideout behind the rock portraits. You know what happened before that?" Shisui sighed and closed his eyes. "I only know what your parents told me. When the attack started, Uncle Fugaku and Aunt Mikoto were called. They left you behind together with your nurse." "My what?" Itachi didn't come along anymore. What did Shisui just say. "Your nurse. You used to have one. Well, you used to have a couple to be accurate. Like I said, must be comfortable to be able to forget everything." Itachi tried to remember. A nurse? He had had someone like that? "What happened?" Shisui hesitated. "You know.. I understand why you don't remember. It must've been really horrible. And I don't intend to bring up some trauma now." Itachi gulped. He felt like he was getting closer to what he wanted to reach. He wouldn't turn back now. "She died, right? Is it that what you want to tell me?" Shisui bit on his lips. "Yeah. Unfortunately the enemies ran right into you as it seemed. There was a huge bloodbath. That's where we lost track of your whereabouts that day. It's a miracle you were still alive." Itachi tried to remember. But there was still something missing. There was a part of the puzzle he still needed. "How did it happen? How had she been killed?" His cousin looked at him with so worried eyes, like Itachi was about to collapse any moment. "She's been... beheaded.." Itachi felt his body protesting. He felt sick, his feet gave in. In front of his eyes he saw the fog, the silhouettes, he heard a woman's voice crying his name. Then silence. And the shadow in front of him sliced in two. A body. A head. And dark strings and dots appeared. Liquid. Sprawling blood. A street paved with bodies. The sound of a flowing river. And a light pervading the mist. Bright. And kind.

He ripped his eyes open and panted for air. Shisui held him in his arms and shook his head. "I knew it. This hadn't been a good idea. Are you alright?" Itachi needed time to realize what had happened. He was still in his room. "Yeah. I just had some kind of.. flashback." That might be it. A dump and cloudy flashback. "I see.. So you remember something now?" Shisui held him tightly. He seemed to be really worried. Maybe he was blaming himself. "No.. not really." "I see." They set there for a while without saying something until Itachi started again. "I hate to bother you, but.. can you tell me what happened after that? Why didn't I.. get a new nurse or something like that?" How could he forget the person who had died trying to protect him? How cruel. "You did. Like I said before, you had a couple of them. But you just didn't want any anymore. You've never been content. You seemed to have really liked your old one.." He paused for a while. "Well,.. sooner or later it made no sense anymore. Your parents stopped working as Shinobi. Your mother cared for you and your father went to the police. Now that I think about it.. if you hadn't made such a fuss, maybe Sasuke would have never been born. Your parents had been pretty busy after all." Itachi didn't say anything. At least he had subconsciously remembered that nurse. And at least something good had come out of it. He actually couldn't imagine his life without his annoying little brother. But there was still something bothering him. "Shisui.. do you believe in angels?" He just asked without thinking. He completely forgot that he had started another conservation similarly before. Shisui was shocked. He remembered it quite well. But he didn't plan to let it go on the same way. "Sure.. just like I believe in fairies, and ghosts, and goblins.. and Santa Claus." Itachi had to smile. Shisui really had a strange sense of humor. "I just have the feeling.. I saw one that day." Shisui smiled back. "You might have just seen a hot Kunoichi." Shisui tried to cheer him up. And Itachi didn't want to think of it anymore. "Maybe you're right. Well then.. I guess I'll sleep now." He freed himself from Shisui's grab and stood up. "You want me to stay over?" Shisui still was really worried. "It's okay.. thank you. I just need some time." He nodded, slightly disappointed. "Well then. Good night. See you tomorrow." He went for the window. Just why could he never use the door? "Yeah. 'Til tomorrow." Shisui jumped out of the window and disappeared. Itachi looked after him. Instinctively, he stared at the full moon. It made him sad somehow. The moon reminded him of Sayuri. Just whom should he believe? What was he supposed to think? And would he ever clearly remember that day during war?

The night could have been so beautiful. But two pairs of eyes looked at it with such sad hearts, that they just didn't realize.

* * *

_So that's it for a while^^ I know it maybe was kinda confusing. I might have gotten mixed up with the wars and the actual incidents.. I'm sorry._

_But it just fit best the way it is now.. So what do you think of Sayuri? I really have no idea of the image I created of her.. I just hope you don't hate her that much_


	27. Arbitrating

_Hey everyone!_

_In Germany it's still the 7th of June_

_The last chapter appeared on the 8th of May.. which means: It's been LESS than a month since I last updated! Pheew.. I was fearing I wouldn't manage it anymore.._

_Now finally all my exams are over and I have my graduation :D_

_the only problem I have left now is the booking of my vacation.. anyway_

_this is the last chapter before the tournament starts.. and it got pretty long again.._

_it's mostly about Seishi who's trying to end the fight between Sayuri and Itachi.. My sister read the beginning and said Sayuri's a bitch.. I'm always a little shocked when I hear that's what the reader thinks about my cute little Sayuri ._

_I hope you enjoy reading ;)_

_btw: last chapter I got 29 new reviews! I was so shocked and so happy! Thank you so much :D_

* * *

**Arbitrating**

Slowly and carefully a hand was gliding through fine silver hair. Seishi's worried eyes rested on Sayuri's sleeping face. It was still soaked in her tears, as even now she kept crying in her dreams. From time to time she was full of pain and she whispered Itachi's name. But now her face was peaceful, she looked like an angel. Yet Seishi hated seeing her like this. He hated the idea that a person he loved got hurt so badly by another person he really loved. How was he supposed to fix that mess? He stroke her hair another time and Sayuri blinked a little. She opened her eyes and looked confused at Seishi. "Oh.. sorry.. Did I wake you up?" Sayuri sat up and wiped the tears out of her eyes. "No.. it's alright. What are you doing here?" It was obvious that she hadn't wanted Seishi to see her that way. "Your brother had to go out but he didn't want to leave you alone. So he asked me to come. I was on my way here, anyway." Sayuri nodded sleepily. "I see.. Did he say anything?" Seishi grinned. "Well, he said a lot of things. Like he'd never ask me if it wasn't important, and that I shouldn't think about it he still can't stand me.. and so on. Oh.. and he said he'd kill me if I touched you." He grinned even broader. "I don't care about the latter, though." He stroke through Sayuri's hair a third time now, but she flinched and pushed his hand away. "Don't touch me." Seishi's smile faded and returned to the worried face. There had been one more thing Kakashi had told him. _Don't ask. _He knew that for himself. He knew that if she didn't want to tell him, it was her decision. He had no right to pressure her. He wouldn't. He was her best friend and had to accept whatever she decided. But still it was so hard.

Sayuri saw the sad look on Seishi's face and her eyes gaped. "I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Are you mad now?" Her lips trembled and the tears started to flow again. "P-please forgive me! Please don't hate me! Please-" She tried to choke her sobbing but she barely got air. "Please don't leave me!" She was completely hysteric. If this was going on like that she'd hyperventilate. "No! No! It's alright! I won't leave you!" He wanted to take her hands, but hesitated a moment. What if she got mad again? She seemed to be really fragile. But then he decided not to care. He grabbed both her hands and looked deeply in her eyes. "Listen! There's no way I'd leave you because of such a thing. There's no way I'd ever leave you!" Sayuri's eyes were empty. She was so pale, she had reached her limit long ago. He let go of her hands and wrapped his arms around her. He wanted to hold her body as tightly as possible. "I will never leave you, Sayuri. No matter what happens. No matter what, you hear me? Because I love you more than anything else." Sayuri sobbed. She didn't dare to hug him back. "If you only knew.. If you knew who you're saying this to. If you knew what you are touching.. You'd act just like him. You'd hate me.. You'd leave me." Seishi was desperate. If he just knew what she was talking about. Then he could tell her that there was no need to worry. He'd never leave her. "Sayuri.. I really don't know what you have in mind. But I'm not like Itachi. I really won't betray you and treat you like that. No matter what you might have done. I love you." Sayuri's fingertips disappeared in Seishi's shirt. "I thought he'd love me, too. For only one moment.. when he tried to kiss me.. I had the illusion for only one second that he might have those feelings for me. I was so happy. But in the end.. it was all just a lie.. just a wish.. just a dream which will never come true." Seishi felt his heart itching. It was only Itachi. Itachi and Itachi all the time. "You, too. If you knew what's good for you.. you'd leave me. You'd hate me and stay away just like he does. But still.." She grabbed his shirt tightly and pierced her nails in his skin. "..I don't want you to go.. I don't want you to leave! I want you to stay with me!" She sobbed on. Her words just didn't make any sense to Seishi. Just how was he supposed to deal with her without knowing anything? He bit on his lips. "Sayuri.. I hate to ask you.. but what is it? Just what have you done? Just what has happened between you and Itachi? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.. I just get the feeling that the more you keep it to yourself the more painful it becomes.. for both of us." Suddenly Sayuri's crying stopped. Her whole body was in shock, she didn't even tremble anymore. "With any second.." She could barely speak. Her voice had completely lost its strength. Only a whisper was left. "With any second I don't tell you.. with any second I keep it from you.. it feels like lying to you, deceiving you. But I don't want to.. I don't want to be a liar. I want to deserve those feelings you have for me. But.. I'm so afraid.." Seishi took Sayuri's face in his hands and their eyes locked. "Sayuri! As long as I am here, you don't have to be afraid of anything. I promise you!"

Sayuri stared away. She nodded slightly. "I-I tell you.. But please.. don't hate me.." Seishi nodded back. He'd never hate her. He knew that. And so Sayuri told him, reluctant, but she did. About what really happened that day he had lost his consciousness. The day two years ago. She told him about her real identity. And Seishi listened to her. Trying to keep up a poker face.

"I see.. so you are actually a Konoha Tengu. That's pretty.. cool, I guess." Sayuri's eyes gaped. "I knew it... You'd be disgusted and hate me.. Just what was I thinking?" And again she started to cry. And Seishi had hoped it would have finally stopped. "No.. I never said such a thing! It's not like that! It's just.. hard to understand." It really was. What should he think now? She was capable of transforming into something like a super battle mode with wings and she tore an elite Ninja into bits with this ability. No matter how you looked at it.. this was pretty creepy. But on the other hand pretty cool. And who'd think of a monster when he saw Sayuri like this? Desperate and weak? Only Itachi would. "But how can you not? Itachi was like this when he heard it.. and I can't say he's wrong. I'm a monster." Seishi gulped. Was she really thinking this of herself? Did Itachi make her believe this? "Hey.. what are you talking about? Then you are not human.. so what? I mean just because your blood is different then ours.. that doesn't mean you're evil, right? You've saved my life with your power after all. If you were only human.. I'd be dead now. So I'm glad I have such an awesome friend. Thank you." He wasn't sure if he believed his words himself. But they were only logical and he knew they were right. He just needed some time to understand it. "You.. you're serious? You honestly think that way? You don't hate me?" Seishi nodded. "I'm serious. I told you. I love you." Even now he felt his heart beating, his blood rushing. Only by looking at her. The smell of lilies. "I'm happy. I'm so happy. If I had lost you.. I.. I don't know what I would have done." She smiled. She really did. Seishi had nearly forgotten how beautiful her smile was. Right. He'd never stop loving her. No matter what she was.

"I'm right beside you. And I'm sure Itachi will be, too. Sooner or later." Sayuri's smile faded. She stared at the floor. "How can you be so sure? He clearly told me what he's thinking." Maybe that hadn't been a good idea, bringing Itachi up again. Now she was just as sad as before. "Believe me.. I know him. He's just confused. To him it's much more than just you.. his whole family is involved in this myths. He has a lot to rethink, reconstructing his whole mind. In the end accepting your.. non-human blood means accepting the non-human blood in his own veins. You need to give him time. To forgive him what he said. He might seem strong to you.. but in the end..he's weak. His psyche is instable." Sayuri looked confused. She hadn't been aware of that. Seishi could understand Itachi a little now. It must be hard for him, he had been clinging to the idea that all that supernatural Tengu stuff was just a lie. But still.. he had no right to treat Sayuri like that. To make her hate herself for what she is. "You.. you really think so? My brother said.. the Uchiha are all the same.. and they'd never accept me. And the more I think about it.. the more I actually believe it." Seishi nodded. "That's right. The Uchiha are all the same. The way they look, the way they think. Just like one clone of the other. But Itachi is different. There's something differing him from his kin." Sayuri looked at him with big eyes. She looked a bit happy. And a bit confused. "What do you mean?" Seishi closed his eyes for one moment. He knew what it was. He knew it just to well. "The war." Sayuri looked even more confused. "It's the war. It's what changed him. All of us. Itachi grew up in times of war. He's seen corpses and blood. He's seen hell while he was still so young. Just like we did. That's what makes him different from his family. His feelings, his dreams. Everything has been influenced by his trauma. And I don't think that makes it worse. I think it makes him valuing life more than his family does. And it makes him valuing friendship." The room was filled with silence. Sayuri was thinking. She, too, knew exactly what Seishi had been talking about. Human or not, the war has left scars in all hearts. Seishi still had the memories clearly engraved in his mind. They'd never let go of him. Finally, Sayuri nodded. "You're right. Thank you. I feel much better now." She smiled faintly to herself. Maybe, in her mind she was already best friends again with Itachi. Seishi sighed. "Well, I'm happy. That's why I'm here. To make you feel better."

Sayuri opened her mouth to say something, but downstairs the sound of a door opening interrupted her. "Your brother's back, I guess. Then I'd better get going now.. You know where you find me." Sayuri grabbed his arm. "Wait.. Seishi.. I'm sorry." Seishi turned around once again. Now he was the one confused. "What do you apologize for?" Sayuri looked quite unwell again. Didn't she just say she was feeling better? "You said.. you loved me.. I'm sorry I can't.. I can't return that.." Seishi felt bad. Was this the reason she made herself reproaches? Because he had said something unnecessary? "It's alright, really. You don't -" "No! It's just not fair.. I tried so hard.. I really wanted to.. but.. no matter what I do.. I still.." It was surprising that there was still water left inside of her body that she could cry. "Sayuri.." She shook her head. "Listen.. I'm really sorry, but.. I love Itachi. I never wanted to.. but I love him so much. I'm so sorry." She sobbed. Seishi wrapped his arms around her one last time. "I know. I knew that all along, Sayuri. But it's alright. I'm fine, as long as I'm able to stay with you." He let go of her and smiled. He really didn't want her brother to come in now. That would hurt. "Just how.. did I deserve you?" Seishi grinned broader. "You don't!" He made use of the confused shock of Sayuri and quickly took leave. He needed to get out of here. _I love Itachi. _He had been aware of that all the time, but in the end hearing the words really hurt. Why? Why Itachi? Because he saved her life? He would have done the same thing. And why did he defend him? Why did he restore Sayuri's hopes? Was he stupid, or what?

Before he knew it, he stood in Sayuri's kitchen and sighed. "Women are pretty complicated that age, right?" Seishi flinched. He hadn't realized that Kakashi was actually standing next to him. "That age? I wouldn't limit that.." As answer Seishi got a laugh through the nose. "She calmed down a bit now. I guess she'll be all right now." Kakashi let himself fall on a chair. "Of course she will." Still he looked a bit worried. Seishi realized that he was staring at him now in a different way. He, too, was a demon. Immediately he hated himself for that thought. He had deeply resolved that nothing would change knowing the truth. But Kakashi noticed the strange glances Seishi threw at him. He sighed and buried his head in his hands. "She told you, right?" Seishi nodded. He was just to easy to read. How pathetic. "So what will you do now? You'll curse us? Tell the whole village? Will you try to get us kicked us out?" Seishi gulped. He couldn't imagine how much those two suffered because of their blood. "No! I'm alright with it. I mean.. I don't really care." Kakashi laughed through his nose another time. But now it was different, derisively. "Ho? You think I'll believe that crap? It's not possible not to care." He was quite right at that point. "But I won't. I won't cause Sayuri any more sorrow. I want her to be happy. She won't get into any trouble now because she told me about you, will she? I promise, I'll keep that to myself." Kakashi looked at him suspiciously. "You're quite reasoned, I'm impressed. I thought if there was a gentleman among you guys it would be Itachi. Well, even I am wrong from time to time, it seems." Seishi didn't know if this had been a compliment. Maybe he just was made fun of. He bowed down. "I deeply apologize for the behavior of my teammate. He really caused you trouble.. so.. I'll do anything in my might to make up for what he did." Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Why are you apologizing? You have nothing to do with the caprices of an Uchiha. You're not his mum." Still Seishi stayed bowed down. "I know.. but.. because I wasn't strong enough.. because I wasn't there for Sayuri when she needed me.. it got this far. It's my duty to contain the peace within our team.. and I failed." Kakashi sighed. "I got it, I got it. You're a self-reproaching little boy who only feels good when he can take the blame. So now get up already, you'll get a lumbago." But Seishi didn't think about doing so. "I beg you.. please don't punish Sayuri for telling your secret. She's really having a hard time now."

Kakashi shook his head disbelieving. "It's fine! I know, if she thinks she can tell you, you're trustworthy. She's careful. That's just how it is if you lose your parents in war." Seishi nodded. His back really hurt when he tried to get up again. Maybe he was getting old. He knew exactly how it felt when you lose your parents in the war. Konoha's White Fang. Sayuri's and Kakashi's father. His story was well known in the village. Suddenly a question appeared in his mind. It was completely out of place and insensitive but he just had to ask it. "Do you hate him?" Kakashi looked confused. "Of course I hate him. He's playing with a little girl's heart as he pleases. First he makes her fall for him and then he turns her down. He's the worst." Seishi stared at the floor. This was his chance to turn back. But he just wanted to know. "I don't mean Itachi.. I mean.. your father. I know it doesn't have anything to do with me, but -" "Yes, indeed. It has _nothing _to do with you!" The white fang had committed suicide after the war. It was only natural Kakashi didn't want to talk about it. "It's just.. my father was killed in the war when he tried to protect his family. He'd had no choice. But I'm sure.. if he could.. he'd choose to be here.. with me. He'd stay with me. So I just can't understand how someone can choose death, leaving his children behind. I just thought.. you'd have to hate him." Kakashi didn't say anything. He didn't even look at him. Seishi was prepared for everything. Why did he keep acting so stupid that day? Kakashi belonged to the strongest Ninjas in the whole village. He'd kill him in no time, without Seishi being able to do anything. Did he want to die? But Kakashi didn't kill him. He actually answered. "I tried. I really wanted to hate him. I wanted to curse him for leaving me alone with my four-years-old little sister. But I just couldn't. Because after all.. after everything.. he's still my father." Seishi didn't know what to say. So even Kakashi Hatake knew the word "love". "Is it that what you wanted to hear?" There was an impatient, nearly evil tone in that question which made Seishi flinch. "Y-yeah. I'm sorry I asked such a weird thing. I'll get going now. Good bye." And so Seishi hastily left the house with Kakashi's glares in the neck.

Back at home, Seishi couldn't hold himself from taking the old family picture in his hands. There was his father, his mother and two identically looking boys. They were all smiling at him. Seishi bit on his lips. It had been so long ago. He had lived more time without them than with them now. And yet he was missing them so much, he'd do everything to get them back.

On the shelf was also another picture. Three children aged ten. Seishi was on the right, grinning at Itachi, one hand on his shoulder. Behind Itachi was Sayuri, wrapping her arms around Itachi's neck while shining like the sun itself. And Itachi in the middle was trying hard to look mad, but he was clearly having a smile on the lips. Two pictures full of happiness. Seishi hadn't been able to maintain the happiness of the old, so now he had to do anything to get the happiness in his new family back.

* * *

Seishi bit on his lips and nervously shuffled his feet. He really hated this part of the village. Being here made him sick, the air was really thick. And the glares he got from the people around him didn't make it any better. Finally the door of the huge, villa like building opened and a known, pissed face appeared. Seishi didn't remember the last time he had been so delighted seeing Itachi.

"What are you doing here?" Well, this happiness didn't seem to be mutual. "I have to talk to you!" Itachi seemed to be anything else than thrilled. He had a good idea of what it was about. "So? What is it? Make it quick!" Itachi was more impatient and aggressive than he usually was. Maybe because he had thought a lot about Sayuri lately. It was only in Seishi's interest to get this over as fast as possible. But he didn't want to do this with all these gloomy Uchihas around. "You don't want to invite me in?" Itachi's face was as evil as ever. "No." That was a harsh rejection. You'd think the son of such a family would be a little politer. But it was just Itachi after all. Now that Seishi thought about it, it felt kind of strange. How often had Itachi already stayed at his place? How many nights had he spent on his coach because he couldn't sleep at home? And yet Seishi had never once been at Itachi's house. A matter which didn't seem to change that soon. "Well, then here will do, too. I want you to go to Sayuri, to apologize to her and to make up with her." Itachi's eyes gaped. He got stroke down by the directness. Well, served him right. Then he turned mad. "What do you know? I've already told you! You have no idea and you've nothing to do with it! So just shut up and let it be!" But Seishi didn't think about letting it be. "I know more than you think! Sayuri told me everything!" Now Itachi was really shocked. He stared at him for a few seconds before he could grasp a clear thought again. "You.. you know it? You know it and yet.. how are you able to stand up for her? How can you be able to.. just accept this like it was nothing?" Seishi said nothing. The same question he had asked himself the whole night. Finally he had found an answer. "Because it isn't important. It's not important whether she's human or not. It doesn't matter whatever she is! She's still Sayuri! She's still our teammate! She's still that little, clumsy girl who sulks because of everything, but only smiles even brighter when she's happy." Itachi's head sunk a little. He bit on his lips. "But how can you be so sure? How do you know she's not just acting, she's just playing with us? She lied from the very beginning! Just how can you trust her?" Seishi shrugged. "I don't know. I have no idea.. maybe she's really just deceiving me. But I simply trust her. If she's honest with everything else and I'd push her away.. I'd never be able to forgive myself." Itachi looked away. "Blind trust, huh? That's something only idiots do. An Uchiha can't afford that."

"Blind trust is something friends do. It's something you need when you want to work in a team."

Itachi clutched his hand. What was going on inside of him? "I told you! Just let it be! You can call me weak, but I don't have the strength to think that way! When I'm Chuunin, I won't work with you anymore! I'll search for a team I can rely on. People with human blood in their veins and a bit of intelligence in their brains." Seishi couldn't believe it. Did he just hear wrong? Itachi turned around to go back in his house, but Seishi grabbed his arm. "You can't be serious! Just what is wrong with you? We're a team. We're more than that! We're friends. We are awesome when we work together! There's nothing we can't do as long as it's the three of us! Just how can you throw that away? Just because she's.. She didn't tell us the truth, so what? She's not human, so what? That's no reason to throw it all away.. It's been three years now!" Suddenly there was a thought in Seishi's mind he was horribly afraid of. What if Itachi really left them? What if they lost him? "I don't care! How often do you want to make me say it? I can't forgive Sayuri. I can't overlook this. That's just against my common sense. And against my pride. Now let go of me!" But Seishi's grasp got only tighter. "Then that's a sacrifice you have to make. For our sake. You have to sacrifice your stupid pride." Itachi looked startled. "Sacrifice?" Seishi nodded. "Yeah. For the sake of our team. For the sake of friendship, you sometimes have to make sacrifices. For the future. So please.. forget about your pride and your common sense and take back what you just said. Forgive Sayuri and stay with us. Stay with us!"

Itachi didn't say anything. He just looked at Seishi's determined eyes. He had meant every word he had said. Then he grinned, creepy, and laughed while he tore himself away from him. "Sacrifices? _You _wanna tell me something about sacrifices? Just what did you do for the sake of our 'friendship'? Holding Sayuri's hand when she can't sleep? Wiping her tears away? Hugging her when she's about to fall apart? You think that's a sacrifice?" He was completely furious. Seishi had never seen him this way before. "I'll tell you what a sacrifice is! I saved Sayuri's life! I got pierced by a few dozens of knives when I protected her! I nearly died! Now I get to know that she's a demon with supernatural powers, who would have been able to protect herself without getting hurt even a bit. I even carried her all the way back! I had life-threatening wounds, I lost a lot of blood and still I only cared about her. Now I get to know that she has wings who would have carried her everywhere. My family has told me all along! They had told me she's different and dangerous! And I defended her! I got in a huge fight with them when I tried to convince them that she's _not _a bad girl, that she's _not _violently killing people, that she's _just an ordinary girl_! And now I get to know that they had been right all along. That I'm the stupid, naïve child after all! _That's _what you call a sacrifice. That's what I did for the sake of our so called 'friendship'. But I don't want to anymore. That's it! Get that already! That's fucking it! I've reached my limit!"

Seishi, too, has reached his limit. He didn't know what to say. He just stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face. So that was it what was going on inside of Itachi all the time. That was the reason why he was so confused and mad. "Itachi.." He had calmed down now he had broken out on him. "Just go home already. He turned around and was already half in the house. "You're a fucking asshole!" Itachi stopped but he didn't turn around. "So you want to pick a fight now?" Seishi bit on his lips. How often had he already done that this day? He hardly felt his lips anymore. "You're an asshole. You're arrogant and stubborn. You're indifferent about the things important and overemotional when it's not needed. You're super intelligent but only use your mind when it would be better to listen to your heart. You're insensitive and absolutely socially incapable. But still I love you. I love you the way you are, with all the disgusting traits on you. Because I know you and I know you're not a bad person after all. That's why I beg you. And this is the first and the last time I'll ever beg something of you. Think it over. Accept Sayuri. Accept her the way she is. And stay with us. Let our team become the best Konoha has ever seen. With the strongest Ninja and the best teamwork ever. I know we can do it! If you only stay with us." Itachi stood in the door for a few seconds. He didn't turn around. He didn't say anything. Until he went inside and closed the door behind him.

Seishi still stood outside, in the middle of the Uchiha district. The air was thick, people with black hair and black eyes were glaring at him. But he couldn't move. He couldn't just go home. Itachi had been right. What had he done? What had he sacrificed for the sake of their friendship? It had been only Itachi. It had been him who kept endangering his life over and over again. There had to be something he could do as well. Seishi closed his eyes and made a decision. A decision destining his life. Itachi wouldn't have been the only person he would have begged something of that day.

Itachi walked through the kitchen, trying to avoid the approving nods of his father. He felt sick. He'd throw up at this rate. Climbing the stairs he heard the words "You're truly my son!" and he felt dizzy. If his family hadn't listened to the conversation, if they hadn't already decided that he'd change the team, would he have answered differently? Would he have given in to Seishi? Somehow he was jealous of him. Not only was he strong enough to forgive Sayuri and accept her, he also had the freedom to do so. Itachi let himself fall on his bed. He had spent a lot of time there lately even though he hadn't slept much. He really felt awful. _Stay with us_, Seishi had said. If he just could tell him how much he wanted to. How much he actually wanted to turn back the time, until he had seen Sayuri in her Tengu form. Then he would have never asked her. He would have never shouted at her. He would have just kept it to himself, silent forever. Then they could be a team again. They could go on missions together, they could laugh together, drink together at Seishi's house. They could have been friends. Now everything was over. Nothing would be as it had been again.

"You look like shit... again." Shisui stood in front of the bed. It was really awful to have a friend who kept appearing and disappearing as he wanted to. "Well.. rather still. Just what is it this time?" Itachi sighed. He really didn't want to talk to Shisui now. He didn't want to talk to anybody. He didn't want to see anybody. Why did nobody understand this? "Forgotten memories and stuff.." Shisui rolled his eyes. "Still that crap? Can't you stop thinking about this already?"

"If I stop thinking about that I start thinking about Sayuri. Which do you prefer?" Shisui looked pissed. Nothing was worse than mentioning Sayuri's name in his presence. Except for mentioning Seishi's name. Only the better was his reaction when he heard that Itachi would transfer teams after the exams. "Why don't you just think about _me _for a change?" Itachi laughed through his teeth. "You wanna make me cry?" Shisui shook his head. "You know, I'm serious. You're thinking way too much. There usually are reasons why people repress things." Itachi knew that. He knew it probably was better just to let it be. But he just couldn't. He had to distract himself from Sayuri. And he still felt it was important. "You know how it feels to search for something, you don't know what it is until you find it? You reach for something.. without seeing it.. without hearing it.. just feeling it. I really want.. to know what it is." Shisui sighed, shook his head and sat on Itachi's bed. "Gosh.. you sound like some hopeless Romanticist." Yeah, maybe that was it. Romance. It was extremely stupid and Itachi had no idea why, but he somehow had the feeling he had fallen in love that day. With an angel. If he could only remember what had happened. If he could only remember her face.

"Iii-taaa-chiiii! You're so boring! Come on let's do something! Let's go out! Training, drinking, watching girls, whatever. I don't care. Just let's do something!" Itachi stared at the ceiling for a moment, then jumped up. The gloomy, uncertain expression has gone and he looked as determined as ever. "Well then! Let's go!" Shisui looked like someone had hit him in the face. "Really now?" Itachi nodded and went to the window. He really didn't want to go through the kitchen again. "Where to?" Shisui had to hurry to keep up with him. "You'll see."

"Okaaay. I still haven't got it! What are we doing here again?" Shisui stared disbelieving at the ruin they were standing in front of and asked the same question now the third time. "Come on, now already. It's not that hard." Itachi shook his head. This guy just wasn't to please. "Well.. let me see.. we're standing here in front of the old Uchiha residency." Shisui sounded as if he wasn't believing it, even though he knew the house pretty well. "Indeed."

"The one we used to have before the Kyuubi incident.." Before they had to move out in their own district, that is. "Fact." "To reconstruct your lost memories by forcing flashbacks?" "See? It's not that hard to understand." Itachi shook his head again. Just why has it taken him so long? "You.. turned completely nuts now?" Itachi shrugged. "Why? It was you who said he was bored. We're just killing time!" Well, maybe Shisui had wanted to do something else, but he said himself he didn't care. "Oh.. ok.. so we're here! Do you remember anything?" Itachi turned around. This was the place he had been when the attack started. He should be able to remember something. He walked across the spot his nurse had been beheaded. But he felt nothing. "No.. I don't remember anything.. Wait."

Behind him was the wall the enemies had thrown him against. They had pierced a kunai in his shoulder. But still he felt nothing. "I really thought.." He looked around. He searched for something making him remember. _Run and cling for life! _Right at the point he stood now, the man had told him those words back then. "Maybe we should walk along the street. Maybe then I'll remember something." And so they did. Shisui wasn't thrilled at all. And Itachi was disappointed. He didn't realize it, when he passed the spot he had tripped over a corpse. "Itachi, come on now! This makes no sense at all! You won't remember anything this way!" Itachi didn't want to give up. "But.. I feel that I'm close.. just a little more!" Shisui sighed. "You're feeling too much lately! Come on! Let's just go home!" Itachi was reluctant, he felt that he was making a mistake by stopping now, but maybe Shisui was right. Maybe he was just imagining things. He nodded and they headed back. Behind them, they heard the flowing water of the Nakano river.

* * *

_So next chapter the tournament starts! Here's the constellation again: _

_Sayuri Hatake vs. Utakata, Yugao Uzuki vs. Chojuro. Itachi Uchiha vs Hayate Gekko. Seishi Hyuuga vs. Anko Mitarashi. _

_Let's see how those fights will end turn out ;)_


	28. Sayuri vs Utakata

_And now comes the chapter you all waited for: The beginning of the tournament_

_Yaaay! I'll keep the first fights rather short so please don't be too disappointed_

_Anyway, I realized that usually a chapter is only like 2500 words.. but mine have an average of 3500.. sometimes they even have 5000 or 6000_

_if I shortened them I could update more often.. but this chapter has more than 3500 as well -.-_

_guess it can't be helped.._

* * *

**Sayuri vs. Utakata**

The arena was filled with a huge mass of people. Nearly whole Konoha was there to witness the last part of the Chuunin exams: The big tournament. But also a lot of people from Kirigakure and other Ninja villages were there. Most people had been drawn the long way by some big names. Uchiha, Hyuuga, Anko Mitarashi, White fang's daughter. Speculations, bets, the arena was filled with hot discussions. And in the middle of the arena the main actors of the day were standing in a row, reduced to only 8 people. They all had the chance to become Chuunin that day, but only one would be on top. Only one could be the strongest of them all and eight Genin were determined to be that one, surpassing all the others. Well, seven in fact. Sayuri didn't know what she wanted. She didn't know what she should feel. The first time in one month she was standing next to Itachi again. And even though they hadn't seen each other, hadn't talked to each other, he wasted no glance on her. She wanted to break in tears again, to just wrap her arms around him, not letting go until he had accepted her for what she was. Seishi had told her it would be alright when she gave him enough time. Shouldn't one month be enough? Hadn't that been enough time to think about it? But maybe he had already made up his mind. Maybe that was his answer. He'd never talk to her again. He'd never look at her again.

She looked at Seishi, her voice was weak. "Will he.." "It'll be alright!" Yet Seishi's determination was fake. He hadn't told Sayuri that Itachi was planning to leave the team. It would destroy her. Would there be a happy end? Would everything be as it was? And what could he do for that sake? How could he cause Itachi to stay? He had this questions in mind for the whole month. And finally he had found an answer to it. When the new examiner had repeated the rules and everyone but Sayuri and Utakata had left the battlefield he turned towards Itachi and held his hand towards him. "What do you want? Give it up already!" Ever since their discussion one month ago Seishi had tried to come in touch with Itachi to convince him to stay. But he had kept falling on deaf ears. "Let's make a deal! We'll meat in the half-finals and if I win, you'll stop making such a fuss about Sayuri and you'll stay with us! And if I lose or don't even come that far you can do whatever you want, I won't stop you! Deal?" Itachi raised his brow. "That's ridiculous. It's already decided!" But Seishi didn't draw his hand back. His eyes stayed determined. "What is it? Afraid you'll lose?" Itachi bit on his lips. He sighed and took Seishi's hand. "Of course not. But you really think you have the slightest chance? To win against Anko and then me?" Seishi shrugged. "I'll win against Anko, I'll win against you and I'll even beat Sayuri in the end. I have no choice. And now even less." Itachi had no idea what he meant by that. But he looked like he was pressured a lot. Like there was something really big depending on his success in the tournament. And not only becoming Chuunin, or getting the team back, something really important to him.

They searched their places on the tribune and looked down towards Sayuri and the guy called Utakata. As the arena started to quiet down and the atmosphere grew more tense they got in fighting position. "You'll watch it?" Seishi was pretty surprised that Itachi was still here. After all that had happened he had doubted that Itachi would watch Sayuri's fight. "It's not like I needed to, is it? It's pretty obvious what will happen.. she'll go at him with furious attacks and big Ninjutsu until the guy is either dead or gives up in tears. It's always that way. So I could just go.." "So why are you still here?" Itachi didn't say anything. He didn't know why himself. Maybe.. Sayuri meant something to him after all.. maybe only a little. Itachi shook his head as if he had just thought the same thing and wanted to forget it. "I'll just leave and.." But Seishi restrained him. "Just watch it. We both know that Sayuri is always good for a surprise." He was alluding to the fact that she was a Tengu although that most likely wasn't that smart towards Itachi. But he just laughed through his nose and sat down. "Too true." He didn't look pissed or disgusted or angry at the thought of Sayuri's truth. Pretty strange regarding the way he behaved. "Well then.. let's enjoy the fight."

Even the last voices were cut down by the overwhelming introduction of the third Hokage resounding in the whole arena. "Welcome, Ladies an Gentlemen, to the final tournament of the Chuunin elation exams. The eight Genin left will show their strength in seven fights! Watch them all and enjoy them until the very end!"

After that speech all eyes gathered on the opponents of the first fight. Sayuri and Utakata watched each other carefully, trying to find weaknesses in the other's position. Finally the examiner raised his hand. "First fight! Start!" The whole tribune panted for air when the guy from Kirigakure started a move no one of them had ever seen before. The examiner had barely finished his words and he was already blowing in a strange tube out of bamboo. A few dozens of bubbles appeared around him flying straight towards Sayuri. She looked pretty startled. This was the first time she's been attacked by soap bubbles, the most harmless thing in the world. "He's a quite impatient one. Attacking her right at the start.." Seishi was surprised. That guy looked so similar to Itachi, he had been sure he would have let Sayuri make the first move to counter it. "He wants to know her abilities. That's why he's starting right off with confusing her." That Itachi. A mere minute before he had wanted to go, now his eyes where fixated on the battlefield and he started analyzing.

No second later Sayuri was surrounded by beautifully shining bubbles. She watched them with great interest and without any intention to do something about them. "She's careless as ever." Itachi's eyes became darker while Utakata grinned. "Suiton: Exploding Bubbles!" Right on cue the bubbles exploded, leaving the shocked Sayuri in a smoke screen. The audience gasped. Was this already the end? Just when Seishi wanted to activate his Byakuugan, Sayuri was already jumping out of the smoke with a perfect back salto, completely unharmed, while throwing Shuriken at her opponent. Shuriken, razor-sharp blades spinning in high speed. Usually you'd expect such killer weapons to run through soap bubbles as through air. But not in this case. The bubbles didn't even burst, they trapped the Shuriken inside and they suddenly calmed down and stopped spinning, as if they never had been thrown. Finally, the bubbles burst and the Shuriken fell on the ground. Now it was obvious: Those bubbles weren't normal. Well, this had actually already been obvious when they exploded. "You better don't underestimate me!" Utakata seemed confident. Sayuri bit on her lip. She definitely wouldn't be beaten by some bubbles. No matter how weird they were. "Same here!" Sayuri seemed to have changed strategy and ran right towards his opponent. She jumped up and lifted her arm to strike a blow. But before her fist was even close to Utakata's face it got caught in another bubble. Sayuri desperately tried to shake it off, she tried to stab it with a Kunai. It was useless, the bubble spread over the knife to her second hand. Now she couldn't use her hands, the bubble was like a handcuff. "What the f-" The more she moved her hands, the more she tried to get rid of it, the more the bubble spread over her whole buddy. It was sticky like bubble gum, only that it was impossible to bite through. Before she knew it, Sayuri was fully caught in the huge bubble. She hit it with her fist, but the substance suddenly was as hard as cement. The audience watched as she screamed inside, her lips formed words, but no whisper reached outside.

Utakata grinned broader. "I'm sorry for the audience, but this fight was over pretty fast." He formed fingersigns and the bubble started to fill with water. The surface rose rapidly. With every second another part of Sayuri was soaked in water, her feet, her legs, her belly, her breasts. With every second her face got more frantic. She screamed, but no one heard her. Seishi jumped up. "Is he trying to kill her? He can't be serious! We have to do something." Itachi sat on his place with activated Sharingan. His face was as calm as ever. "Sit down and watch the fight!" Seishi stared at him disbelieving. "Are you serious? She's drowning down there!" But Itachi's face didn't change. "Don't make me repeat myself." That was all he had to say. What was the meaning of this? Did he really care so little?

The water reached her head and Sayuri struggled. How long does it take a Tengu to drown? What was going to happen to her? Seishi couldn't sit still. It went on like this for several seconds. Sayuri tried to break the soap bubble, but still nothing happened. After a while she was still. She stopped moving. Only her lips moved. She said something. Whatever it was, nobody could hear it. Only Itachi's Sharingan was able to read her lips. But he stayed quiet. And then something happened that nobody would have expected. Sayuri smiled. It was the same smile Utakata had on his lips. Confident and mischievous. While everyone was wondering about the meaning of this, Sayuri disappeared. Her body just dissolved in smoke. A third time the whole tribune panted for air. A Kagebunshin? Utakata was just as shocked. He let the soap bubble burst and looked around him. Where was she? Where was Sayuri's real self? Everyone searched for her in the arena. She wasn't on the ground, but she wasn't in the air either. Utakata's confident smile was gone. He turned around nervously. But as the thought finally stroke his mind, it had already been to late. "Doton: Shinju-Zanshu no Jutsu!" (Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique, see Naruto ch. 7)

In only the blink of an eye, Sayuri's hand appeared from the ground and dragged Utakata down. Before anyone realized what had happened, Utakata stuck in the ground neck downwards and Sayuri bowed in front of him. "How does it feel not being able to move?" Sayuri smiled at him. Now it was her angel smile. The smile she had when she was really happy. She drew a scroll out of her bag, activated it and held one of her double blades in her hand. "As expected. Now she beheads him." As expected. Itachi was the only person in the arena who hadn't been surprised about the outcome. He had known it all along. Sayuri held her blade at the open spot left on Utakata's neck. "Now be a good boy and give up." Now Itachi was surprised after all. It was rare sight that Sayuri would spare someone's life once she had the choice to kill him. The whole fight was pretty untypical for Sayuri. But in the end, the results counted. And the result was that Utakata gave in and Sayuri had won her first match. The audience devoted a standing ovation to her and as Sayuri was Sayuri she gave them her most elegant bows as thanks.

"Wow.. my heart stopped a couple of times, but she hadn't been in danger for one second." Itachi shrugged. "I told you all along." He could have told him a little more. Seishi had been worrying sick and Itachi might have even enjoyed that. "So? Your résumé? I still have no clue what actually happened." Itachi laid back, folded his arms and sighed. "Well, it's actually pretty simple. Utakata sent the exploding bubbles after her. Sayuri expected the explosions, she dodged them by hiding in the ground and used the smoke screen to disappear and create a Kagebunshin to replace her without being noticed. The Kagebunshin appeared and dragged the attention on itself by throwing Kunai and starting Taijutsu. That way Utakata had been too busy with protecting himself and had no time to realize that the real Sayuri was long gone. She let herself being trapped in the bubble and started a pretty convincing and entertaining show. By acting desperately and close to drowning she wanted to assure Utakata of his victory so he let his guard down. When she dissolved the Kagebunshin, Utakata was absolutely confused and had no idea what had happened. That's what she made use of and she got him while he was defenseless. And trapped in the ground he was completely out of options. Sayuri had won. I have to say, she was pretty good in that bubble. She has some talent as an actor, but we both knew this all along, right?" Seishi nodded. He simply missed the last sentence. "What did she say when she was in there? I mean.. just before she solved the Jutsu." Itachi hesitated. Then he sighed again. "It was a pretty failed attempt to be dramatic. She said _'I'm sorry that you're right, but this fight was really over pretty fast!' _Really unnecessary. No one could hear her anyway." Seishi's eyes sparkled. "Sayuri's soo cool in battle mode!" Right, Sayuri's two faces. The one when she fought and the one when she not. "You never saw her in her _real _battle mode, though." It was really creepy when Itachi's voice got that tone. Like he'd burst any moment because of the piled up hatred inside of him. "Well anyway.. let's go!" Seishi jumped up. Itachi watched him startled. "Where to?" "To Sayuri! We have to congratulate her. She passed the first fight!" Itachi looked like someone had slapped him in the face. "What? N-no.. go alone.. I don't.. the second fight.." Seishi grinned at him. It was hard to get Itachi in such a speechless situation, but Seishi managed it again and again. "The second fight is boooring. We don't even know those people. So who cares? Come on!" He grabbed Itachi's arm and dragged him along.

They went to the little room beneath the tribune where the hurt ones were treated. Sayuri and Utakata had both been brought there, even though they had no wounds at all. When Seishi entered the room he ran right towards Sayuri while Itachi stayed at the door. Why was he here? Why did he let Seishi drag him? Why didn't he push him away? This was the last place on earth he wanted to be. Close to Sayuri..

Seishi grinned at her and she smiled back at him. "Hey", she said with her sweet voice. Something was strange in Seishi's smile. It was kinda.. frozen. "Are you nuts?" It never was a good sign when Seishi's mimic didn't match his words. Sayuri looked at him dumbfounded. "What's wrong?" Seishi's eyebrow twitched once, then he finally lost his calm. "You know how much I worried about you? I thought you'd die! My heart was about to stop and you were just playing some damn theater? Were you thinking about me for only one second?" Sayuri was shocked. She hadn't thought at all as it seemed. "I'm sorry.. I didn't knew you'd care so much.. I was just.. I really felt sorry for the audience.. that the fight was so short.. so I wanted to extend it a little.. you know.. put a little drama in it. And they seemed to have really liked it.. so I thought." She avoided to look at Seishi and wanted to stare at the wall. But there stood Itachi so she felt even worse and stared on the ground. "Well, _I _hated it." Seishi's voice went down a bit. He was like a volcano sometimes, quiet and nice to look at, but from time to time he erupted just like that for a minute and then everything was fine again. "But Itachi really liked it. He told me so. Right, Itachi? Don't you want to tell Sayuri how much you admire her talent." Sayuri looked up. Her eyes suddenly were twice as big. She looked at Itachi, a little bit of hope hidden behind her gaze. Itachi blushed and looked away. "Don't be so full of yourself. I said nothing that way. I was just analyzing the fight as you were too dumb to get anything. It's not my fault that you don't even have the brains to understand what I am saying. So just shut up, idiot!" He looked at Sayuri and opened his mouth to say something to her, as well. But the words got stuck in his throat and he turned away and left quickly. "Ita-" Sayuri wanted to run after him. It had been the first time he had looked at her, the first time for a whole month their eyes had met. It made her so happy and at the same time sad. Seishi held her back. "Wait. I'm sorry, Sayuri. I really thought he'd be ready. I really thought he'd be a little bit back to normal now.. but he isn't.. he still needs more time.. I just hope it's time we have." Sayuri looked at him confused. She didn't understand. She still didn't know.. that this could be the last day the three of them could be called a team. "I guess it was obvious.. he wouldn't be an Uchiha if it was that easy after all."

Itachi closed the door hastily behind him and bumped right into someone. He made a few steps backwards and bowed. "I'm sorry." "You better are." Itachi flinched hearing the familiar voice. "Shisui.." Itachi's cousin and best friend looked really pissed. "What the hell are you doing here?" Itachi avoided his glare. "It's not as it seems.." "Shut up!" It was a very rare sight to see Shisui that way. "You asked.." "Shut up I said!" Shisui glared at him, shook his head and glared on. "I _really _hate to be the moralizer here, but I guess I.._ we all_.. have told you often enough how important it is to our Clan that you cut any connection you have with that girl! Isn't that right?" Itachi bit on his lips. How could he forget that? The day half the Clan had gathered and every single one had told him, that Sayuri was the incarnation of evil. The poison in Konoha's veins his Clan had to get rid off. In other words: He, who used to treasure her more than his own life, had to become her greatest enemy. And no matter what Seishi told him about her, and no matter how much he wanted to believe it, that wouldn't change. "I know that.." "Then can you tell me why I find you here, right where that girl is? What did you do? Congratulate her? Talk to her? Maybe giving her a hug?" Itachi shook his head vehemently. "Of course not! Seishi dragged me here! I didn't even look at her!" That was a lie. He had looked at her. He had wanted to talk to her. He still wanted to believe that she was the girl she always had been. Deep inside he wanted to forgive her and return back to the old days. But it was already too late. His family would never allow it. "I hope for you that it's that way.. " Shisui's eyes changed and he sighed. "You know, I'm just worried about you. You might be the son of the chief, but if anything happens.. You better know your place and do as you're told. Otherwise it might end ugly." Itachi nodded. "I know." Shisui smiled again and patted Itachi's head. "Of course you do." Itachi's life was full of moments he wanted to die. This was one of them. Fortunately the moment was stopped by the voice of the examiner. "The winner of the second fight is Yugao! She will fight Sayuri in the second row! Next are Itachi Uchiha and Hayate Gekko!" So the purple-haired girl won? Itachi was pretty surprised. She hadn't looked like a fighter. And the guy she had fought, the one with the sharp teeth, had looked really creepy. Now Itachi wished he had seen the fight. "So you're next? Well, Itachi I'm counting on you. But I'm sure you'll win anyway." Itachi nodded and turned to go. "For the sake of our Clan, right?" Itachi stopped for a second before he went on. Right. For the sake of the Clan.

* * *

_So much for the first fight^^ I hope you enjoyed even though it was really a little short_

_but let's see how Itachi will fight next time ;)_


	29. Itachi vs Hayate

_Hello everyone :) _

_I will never promise again that I'll post more often.. I can't keep it anyway.._

_I really thought I had more time now.. but no -.- applying for universities, fighting through forms and requests and forms.. that's like hell_

_and planning vacation and trips and in the end nothing works out.._

_well I managed another chapter in the end^^ sonner or later.._

_so please enjoy it :) I can't tell when the next one will come.. my holiday job starts next week_

* * *

**Itachi vs. Hayate**

"Itachi!" Having heard the announcement of the third fight, Seishi ran out of the medical station after Itachi. His eyes met Shisui for one moment, who stood there giving him the most derisive glare. But Seishi only shook his head. He was the least person he cared about.

"HEY!" Itachi was already standing on the battlefield when Seishi caught up with him. "Are you deaf or what?" Seishi wheezed in front of Itachi. Those two aside, only Hayate and the examiner were in the arena, as well, both staring disbelieving at Seishi. The fight was supposed to start now, after all, and Seishi didn't fit in. "Seishi.. you know, the fight.." Seishi grinned. "Yeaahh, I heard it. Thank god the girl won! I was afraid I couldn't see her fighting.. would've been a shame.." Itachi raised his brow. So he had wanted to see the fight after all. That was the absolute opposite of what he had told him before. Then why did he drag him all the way to Sayuri and put him in this awkward situation? That was so unbelievable and typical at the same time. "Yeah, yeah.. now wish me luck or whatever and.." Itachi made a movement with his hand which led to a wide range of interpretation from "go away" to "piss off". "No.. you know.. you better not lose! We have to fight later! And don't put on a weak show.. and.. and.." Seishi was desperately collecting the pieces of his speech he had prepared for Itachi's fight. But somehow it all got lost during Sayuri's fight. Itachi couldn't believe it. Didn't he see, that a few thousand people were waiting for him to get lost?

"Right! You know the most important reason you have to win?" Itachi rolled his eyes. Now what was that going to be? Some kind of lecture? "Maybe because if I lose I'm out of the tournament?" Seishi grinned. No, that was no lecture, that was going to become one of Seishi's cheesy moments. "It's because of him." Seishi raised his hand and pointed towards a position on the tribune behind him. Itachi followed his fingers with his eyes and got stuck at a snow white face with big, dark black eyes. The little boy laughed all over the face and frantically waved at him. Sasuke sat on the lap of his mother, her arms were hugging him tightly. Sure. There was no way he could lose with his little brother watching him. Seeing Sasuke's happy face, Itachi had no other choice but to smile. And Seishi grinned even broader. "So it's still there? That's all I wanted to know.. I just wanted to know whether your smile died forever or only for us. So it is only us. Now I know I can get it back. I won't give up, Itachi. I won't let you get away this easily. We'll see each other in the half finals. I can't wait." Itachi's suddenly returned smile faded away instantly. This sure had been cheesy, but there still had been something else. Something making Itachi really feel sick. "Neither can I." Seishi nodded and disappeared. No second later he stood on the tribune and looked down in the arena. Itachi sighed silently and turned around towards his opponent. He really was looking forward to his fight with Seishi. But before that there was still one hurdle to overcome.

Hayate Gekko was about three years older than Itachi and looked really, really sick. His face was snow white, he had huge bags beneath the eyes and was constantly coughing. But now, at this moment, there was an intimidating aura around him. He looked serious and determined when he drew his Katana. Itachi had no idea what was expecting him, but one thing was sure: That guy was strong. Otherwise he would have never teamed up with Anko. Itachi had no sword to draw, but he had another weapon. He activated his Sharingan, still not knowing how much he would need it.

When the examiner noticed that the combatants both looked ready and the arena was cleared of annoying idiots talking stupid stuff, he finally raised his arm. "Well, then. The third fight, Uchiha Itachi vs. Gekko Hayate, FIGHT!"

Itachi had barely time to blink and Hayate was already running at him with his drawn sword. In fact, three Hayates were running at him. "Konoha-Ryu! Mikazuki no Mai!" Three guys were jumping at him. Three blades were coming for him in three different direction. And that in incredible speed. If he hadn't his Sharingan, he'd be hash now. But fortunately he saw the movements soon enough to dodge and only his shirt got some rips. Usually Itachi would take a breath now and feel sorry for the second short he ruined in this exam, but Hayate gave him no single moment to do that. He went at him.. They went at him.. without any second of break, attacking Itachi with his sword. Anyone who hadn't the luck of being an Uchiha and possessing an eye ability would have lost long ago, that was for sure. Itachi saw every movement a second before it happened and that saved his ass. But it was sure he couldn't keep this up for too long. Hayate moved in super high speed, the audience started to discuss because no one was able to follow the movements anymore. Itachi knew now how it was to be trapped in a shredder. And his shirt as well.

So before he was standing here half naked, he should do something. Itachi jumped back and threw two Shuriken at the Kagebunshin. The formation was reduced to the original, but the algorithm of the attacks wasn't broken down and Itachi knew exactly where he had to hold his Kunai to block the the sword. Finally, for only one second, the motion was frozen and Itachi and Hayate faced each other. Itachi put two fingers in front of his mouth and blew a huge ball of fire at his opponent. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" The audience gasped. Whether it was because they couldn't believe that Itachi had been able to counterattack or that Hayate actually had been able to dodge at this distance was a secret. In no time, Hayate jumped up and flew over Itachi, evading the fire by inches. Even more confusing was the fact, that he was able to land right behind Itachi and drive his sword right in his back as if he planned it all along. In front of the shocked tribune the stabbed Itachi turned into stabbed wood, leaving the composed Hayate behind. Just what was that guy? No matter what you did, he checked the situation and reacted immediately. There was no way to surprise him or confuse him. And he was super fast and his sword was deadly.

He didn't even look shocked when Kunai rained from above. It took him one swap with his sword and they hailed beneath him leaving him untouched. Itachi followed his Kunai from above, trying to land a punch or a kick at his opponent, but it was futile. He dodged every single attack and countered with a swift movement of his sword. This time Itachi had no chance. The strike hit him and he jerked a few meters away before he got on his feet again. His shirt was nothing but shreds now. Luckily only the shirt. He could have gotten really hurt by that strike. Itachi ripped the pieces of his clothes from his body and threw them away. The tribune shook, it sounded like a few hundred slaughters were going on up there. Every single girl seemed to want her head screamed off. Itachi didn't quite get it and he didn't really care. He had a far greater problem down here.

That guy was fast and precise. Every single strike was to kill and no matter what Itachi did, no single attack would touch him, neither Taijutsu nor Ninjutsu. Was this fight really so one-sided? Was he about to lose?

Sayuri was unsettled. She wasn't sure whether she should collapse on spot like a few other girls around her or watch the fight closely. It really wasn't the first time, but no matter how often she saw Itachi shirtless, it still made her head spin. She bit on her lips and grabbed Seishi's arm. Shortly before the fight started she had went to him, there had been no need to stay in the medic room anyway. "That really looks bad.. you think he'll lose?" Seishi looked at her startled. "Of course not! I told him before not to lose so he won't! And by the way.. why are you still conscious?" Sayuri blushed. "W-what are you saying? It's not like I go crazy every time Itachi takes his shirt off!" Seishi raised a brow. "Well.. it's exactly like that.." Sayuri shook her head and glared at him. This really wasn't the time. "No, it's not! And how can you be so confident? Itachi hasn't even touched that guy yet! How does he want to win?" Seishi shrugged. "He's an Uchiha.. so I guess he wins the Uchiha way." Sayuri was confused. "What?" Seishi sighed. "See. At first he could only dodged because of his Sharingan, right? His blood saved his ass. Typical for an Uchiha." Sayuri nodded. She didn't want to agree with Seishi's negative view but he had a point. "Then he tried to go in the offensive with a fire jutsu. Another typical thing for an Uchiha." Sayuri nodded again. "Yeah?" It was true but none of those things had really brought Itachi far. "So if he goes the Uchiha way, there is still one thing left he can do. Something typical for an Uchiha." Sayuri needed a second, then she finally got it. "You mean he'll -" Now Seishi nodded. "Just look at his face. He's already plotting something."

Itachi, too, had finally figured what was the only option left. If Ninjutsu and Taijutsu both had no point, then there was only one thing to do. Why didn't he think of it earlier? It was his strongest ability after all.

The moment of rest was over. Hayate made two new Kagebunshin and got in fighting position. Was this all he could do? Well, maybe he never needed anything else. Itachi simply copied him. Two Kagebunshin took their places next to him. Now it was three vs. three. Once again, Hayate didn't let himself getting startled and simply split up. Three times one vs. one. The Kagebunshin only needed to be scratched once and they would dissolve. But it wasn't that easy this time. The technique Mikazuki no Mai really was just like a dance. It had its pattern. And once Itachi had seen through it, it was easy to dodge, especially when there was only one blade left that was trying to kill him. One blade for everyone. Itachi and his clones quickly analyzed the movements of the Jutsu, so he finally found an opening. One well-aimed kick right in the guts was enough and the Kagebunshin of Hayate disappeared and the original flew a few meters. Now it was three vs. one. At least that was the mathematical consequence. But when Hayate opened his eyes, there were a few dozens Itachis surrounding and approaching him. One of them took the sword Hayate had lost when he jerked through the air, and, no moment later, all the other Itachis held a sword in their hands as well. "You're quite good. But there's one thing you have forgotten." It was like an echo going around him. Just how many Itachis were there? 50? And they all were talking to him in unison. "I'm an Uchiha. I have the Sharingan. I'm copying Jutsu. And I'm really fond of that Jutsu of yours. It's really cool. But just imagine how cool it would be with not 2, but a few more Kagebunshin." All Itachis looked pleased at the sword in their hands and let their fingers glide over the blade. Then they all laughed. "In Dolby Surround."

On keyword the herd of Itachis ran at Hayate and attacked him with their swords. Hayate didn't move. He couldn't. And it wouldn't have made any sense anyway. It was impossible to dodge this. So the about 50 swords sliced and ripped and pierced into his body from all sides. The pain was like burning alive, but it didn't take too long until Hayate collapsed.

The audience was confused and once again discussed. Wasn't it weird that this guy had been struck down by a single hit in the guts? Ever since then he was lying on the ground and didn't move. Did he lose consciousness? Itachi was standing in front of him and held the sword in his hand. It felt good to have such a weapon. Maybe he should get himself one. It was only fair after all. Sayuri had her double blades and Seishi had his huge battle ax, so why shouldn't he get a nice sword. He looked at the examiner. "What's up? Don't you want to announce me as winner? I don't think he'll wake up that soon.."

The examiner looked first at Itachi, then at Hayate. He needed a second before he nodded and ran towards the unconscious. After he confirmed that he was unable to fight any longer, he announced Itachi as winner.

"How did you know this?" Sayuri was amazed. "What do you mean? That he'll win or that he'll win using Genjutsu." Seishi wasn't surprised at all. Another fight without anyone injured. That was going far to smoothly. It wouldn't stay like this forever. "Both.. I mean.. it really looked bad." "Well you see.. Itachi knew that he had no chance but to use Genjutsu.. and he tried to do it as inconspicuously as possible so Hayate wouldn't realize and dissolve it. That's just the way Itachi wins battles. And he would have never lost it because I told him not to." Sayuri wasn't content yet. "You really believe it's that easy? If you tell someone not to lose then he won't?" Seishi grinned. "Well, of course not. There was also something different." He nodded towards a certain spot in the tribune. Sayuri followed his hint and immediately got the _Kawaiii! _gaze on her face.

"Itachi would have never lost with his little brother watching him. How could he? It's his duty as big brother to be an idol for him and to keep him away from disappointments. You know what I mean?"

Sayuri smiled and nodded. Little Sasuke was so cute when he was happy and clapping. "Of course, I know. I have a big brother myself. They can be bossy and mean, but in the end they only want the best. They only want to make you happy." Sayuri knew this even though it was hard sometimes to really believe that. "That's it. Big brothers are like heroes for her younger siblings. You can always count on them, they protect you and they are there when you need them most. They're just.. the most important person in your life." Sayuri smiled at Seishi and put her hand on his shoulder. "You too. Be sure to make you big brother proud. Even though he's not here, I'm sure he's watching you." Seishi looked at her surprised. "We were twins.. how did you know he was the older one? I never told you.." Sayuri just smiled more. Her beautiful angel smile. "Because only little siblings can talk about the big brother like that." Seishi returned her smile and looked in the sky. "That's right. I have to make sure that I don't disappoint him. I won't make him regret that he gave his life for my sake. Now that I know my big brother's watching me, there's no way I will lose."

* * *

Another quite short fight between Itachi and Hayate^^ well I told you first fights won't be too long

so next time Seishi vs. Anko.. hmm.. this will become snaky

and never forget: Big brother's watching you


	30. Seishi vs Anko

_New record: 5,5 weeks! Maybe you ask yourself what was wrong with me ._

_During the last 5 weeks I had a vacation job.. and it was really creepy.. like all my phantasy and inspiration was drawn out of me o.O_

_I know it sounds like a bad excuse.. but it's the truth.. After a 9 hours day I came home and spent hours in front of the PC trying to figure out how to go on.. and it just didn't work_

_It really sucked -.- therefore this chapter maybe seems to be a little dull or.. I can't describe it_

_I guess I still need some time.. espacially since my english is getting worse every day.._

_Buuut: I managed to update at least once in August.. at least at german time :D_

_Anyway I hope you are able to enjoy this chapter! Thank you for being so patient with me :D_

* * *

**Seishi vs. Anko**

Anyone else would have trembled in fear. Anyone else's feat would shiver and give in. Anyone else would scream and cry looking in the dark eyes of an evil snake waiting only to devour you whole. Anyone else but Seishi. He had a most excited smile on his lips while sharing the arena with the most dangerous and dreadful snake ever. Anko's black eyes were as narrow as those of lizards and her lips formed a hungry smile. Nobody would have been surprised if a split tongue suddenly appeared between them. Anyone else would have cursed his fate if he found himself in a fight with Orochimaru's student. Anyone else would have had enough love towards his life to give up before getting hurt. But Seishi couldn't be more pleased about his opponent. But that's not what interests the audience. The audience wants to see the fight. They want to see someone winning and someone losing. And they didn't quite care who did what. That was a matter the combatants themselves had to deal with.

"I'm pretty surprised you came that far. You must have had tons of luck to get another scroll after you encountered me." Seishi grinned. "Seems like destiny wanted us to be together." Anko shook her head disgusted. "This might be the awfullest pick-up line I've ever heard. And that actually works?" Seishi shrugged. "From time to time." Anko looked disbelieving. "Well.. even though destiny went easy on you one time, there are no second chances in a Shinobi's life. I'll show you that!" Anko went in fighting position. The anticipation was written in Seishi's face. He activated his Byakugan and the veins around his eyes got thicker. The air was vibrating as everyone waited for the signal of the examiner.

He raised his hand. Everyone could see that he was nervous himself. Nobody knew how this fight would turn out, but everyone felt sorry for Seishi. Anko wasn't one of those who went easy on her opponents. It would be an exception if she spared his life. "Fourth fight! Start!"

Seishi made a step sidewards and no moment later he disappeared and suddenly stood next to Anko aiming his palm for her belly. She grabbed his hand at lightning speed and jerked him off the ground to crash him on the ground. Seishi managed to break his fall with his other hand and freed himself quickly from Anko's grasp to gain some distance. "You're really as fast as a snake." "You're not slow either." They grinned at each other, both happy they had worthy opponents.

"Then all I have to do is to slow you down!" Seishi waved finger sign and put his hands on the ground. "Doton: Arjigoku!" The earth beneath Anko's feet started to change its consistency and dragged Anko down like muddy quicksand. Yet she stayed unimpressed. "Doton? Well.. no big deal" The sand sucked her so fast that she was already stuck to her hips. "Katon: Hideri no Jutsu" Immediately, the earth lost every little bit of dampness and turned into hard, dusty soil. With ease she squeezed her body out of the hole she stuck in. Like a snake. Then she stood up again and got the dirt off her. "Two tries, two failures. I'll give you another chance, but then it'll be my turn." Anko talked absolutely calm. It really seemed like there was nothing to impress her. "Don't worry, I still have a few moves left to show you."

He reached for a Kunai in his bag and threw it at Anko. She dodged it, naturally. "What's with that super lame move?" She realized too late that there was an explosive tag attached to the knife. It exploded and the area around Anko got covered in smoke. But the smoke was no problem for a real Ninja, the problem was the dust. The ground had been so dry due to Anko's Jutsu, that all the dust was dispersed.

That was too much even for her. She coughed and tried to wipe the dirt out of her eyes. Perfect advantage, of course, for someone who could see even with the eyes closed. Seishi suddenly appeared behind Anko and got ready to strike. But even though his chances looked so much better this time, Anko still was able to block him. With closed eyes she grabbed his foot which had been about to kick her in mid air. "You're underestimating me!" For a mere girl at the age of 12 she showed amazing strength when she jerked Seishi through the air. He landed hard on the ground and tried to get up coughing. "FUCK!" Was there really no way to get to her? Until now he hadn't been able to even scratch her. He hated admitting it, but he had a quite hard time being serious towards a girl. Even though she was such a tomboy.

The next thing Seishi realized, was that the constant structure of the Chakra flow within the dust suddenly burst and a dozen of thick strings of the blue light came in amazing speed in his direction. Before Seishi was even fully on his feet again, huge snakes appeared from the cloud of dust and went for his arms and legs. "What the..?" Seishi wanted to curse but a snake looped around his mouth. In no time he was completely covered in snakeskin and the more he tried to free himself, the tighter the beasts got around him. Slowly the dust lightened up and a shadow appeared grinning self-satisfied. "Hiding in the dirt and using the senses to attack from behind. You're acting like a rat. Unlucky only for you that snakes feast on rats." She grinned even broader as Seishi disappeared more and more under the snakes. She enjoyed his desperate tries to get himself out. "And another thing: You knew, that the most dangerous snakes aren't poisonous but the constrictor ones? Those, who press every single trace of oxygen from their victims' lungs. Death comes slowly and painfully." Seishi was now gone, no finger was to be seen between the snakes. Sayuri gasped on the tribune. "Is she serious? She's trying to kill him! Someone has to stop her!" Itachi, too, had a bad feeling about it. He felt his heart beating in his chest. When Sayuri had fought it had seemed like she had been about to die as well, but it had only been a Kagebunshin. He had known it all along so he had stayed calm. But now he was sure that Seishi's real self was stuck inside Anko's trap. There was no way for him to get out, he couldn't even wave hand signs. And Anko was the type of person who would kill her opponent in such a fight. And she was the type of person who'd get away with it. Sayuri was right. They had to stop this fight before it was too late.

The examiner had realized it as well. He had already taken a step forwards and was ready to stop Anko. He only waited for a sign that she really wanted to kill him. And he soon got it. The snakes got tighter around Seishi's body from second to second and Anko's face grew in anticipation, although no one in the arena doubted her victory anymore. As the examiner raised his hand to finish the fight, a man stood up from somewhere on the tribune and turned to go. It was Hiashi Hyuuga, the leader of Seishi's Clan. He had a disappointed look on his face. Itachi couldn't hold it against him. That had been a pretty lame show of Seishi.

"This fight is finished. The winner is -" "Shut up!" Anko shouted at him. As if she didn't give a damn about his authority, she continued tightening the snakes, now faster than before. She really wanted to kill him. "Hey are you nuts? Stop it!" Sayuri shouted at her. Itachi was already ready to jump in the arena if he was needed. The examiner ran towards her. "I said the fight is finished! Stop it!" But Anko's smile wasn't to be broken. "It's too late, idiots." The next moment everyone's eyes were focused on the red flood coming from where Seishi was supposed to be. From one second to the other, every face in the tribune was snow white. Sayuri forgot to breathe, her lips trembled and tears ran down her cheeks. Parents quickly tried to cover their children's eyes. Nobody could see anything yet beneath the blood rain, but everybody had an idea of what had happened. Everyone was shocked, instead of Anko. Her eyes shone in joy. For a few seconds. But soon her eyes gaped. Like everyone else's. The ground was covered in snakeskin and snakeheads with wide opened jaws. Entrails and remains in the bloodlake, but none of them were human. The human was, against all the beliefs of the audience, still in one piece, standing where he used to, soaked in blood from hair to toe. Seishi breathed deeply, his face was pale beneath the blood. "Gosh.. I really thought I'd die in there."

Sayuri sobbed and sank to her knees. For only one moment everyone had been sure that Seishi Hyuuga was dead. Hiashi was back to his seat. Itachi realized that his hand still clutched the railing. He couldn't believe the mayhem of feelings he'd been through because of that idiot.

"H-how is this possible?" Anko stared at Seishi's unharmed body disbelieving. Seishi grinned faintly. His condition wasn't the best after being so close to death, but he still knew what he had to say.

"Well, it seemed you made a little mistake. The snake mistook me for a rat and wanted to devour me. But unluckily for the snake, I'm a mongoose in disguise. And mongooses feast on snakes." Seishi took a scroll from his pocket and put some of his own blood on it. First a grip appeared and Seishi reached for it, soon the battle ax was complete. "Watch out for my claws."

Anko slowly got a grip of herself again and whistled through her teeth. "Not bad, that ax. Must have cost a small fortune." Seishi only shrugged. "Barely worth mentioning."

Mayhem of feelings? Now Itachi really couldn't believe it! Had he really been afraid for only one second that this guy was dead? No, that wasn't possible according to the wrath he felt now. "Seishi!" Usually he wasn't the type of guy who would scream at the people in the arena.. "be sure to kick her ass, so I can kick yours later!" _Barely worth mentioning? _Did he really say that? Just who bought him that fucking ax?

Seishi only answered with a dumb smile. "I intended that from the very start." Anko hissed. "We'll see. Now tell me.. how did you get out of my snakes? What did you do to them?" It nearly seemed as if she treasured the lives of her snakes more than human ones. "Did you really think you could get me that easily? You really think I haven't learned some new tricks during the last month? I have the ambition to win this tournament and I won't let anyone stand in my way." He pointed his ax in her direction. She hissed only louder. "You think you can make fun of me? You've been lucky one time, I won't let you go a second time!" She put blood on her palm and waved signs. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" A second army of snakes came in Seishi's direction, but this time he was prepared. Skillfully he rotated his ax and stroke left and right. The snakes' heads flew, the blood shot in all directions. Anko lost all her cool. "What do you think you're doing?" Seishi shrugged. "Protecting my life?"

Now Anko was really pissed. She cursed and ran at him. Shortly before she reached him Seishi disappeared before her eyes and in the moment of surprise, she slipped on the bloody ground. As she was still holding herself up with her hands, Seishi reappeared above her and drove the grip of his ax against her back. He turned her unmoving body around and stroke out. The sharp blade of his ax fell down on her. "I know people like you. Once they lose their cool, they lose the fight. Lucky only for you, that I'm the kind of guy who likes cute heads and cute bodies in one." Anko stared at the blood-drenched Seishi with huge eyes. The blade of the ax was only inches above her head.

"I hit your nerves. You won't be able to move for a while. You might think you're a snake but you still have a spine." Seishi took his ax and turned to go. Anko grinned. "I finally start to understand why the girls are so crazy about you." Seishi grinned. "Well, better late than never. If you want to, I'll always find time for you." Even though she had lost the fight, Anko had a smile on her face when she was carried away.

BAM! "Who do you think you are? I was worried sick! First you scold me because I worry you and than you.. you do the very same thing?" Sayuri was completely hysteric when she congratulated Seishi with a slap in his face. Seishi rubbed his cheek. "I'm sorry.. you think I liked being caught in there? If I had been able to get out a second sooner I would have done so.." Sayuri wasn't convinced. She turned her head away. "Hey.. Sayuri-chan.. I'm sorry. Thank you for worrying so much.. that really makes me happy." The sweet talk worked nearly always. "I'm just happy you're alive.." Seishi smiled at her.

Then he looked at Itachi. "And you? Tell me how worried you were." Seishi grinned broad. Itachi only raised his shoulders. "Worried? Me? About you?" Seishi grinned broader. "Come on! Admit it! You nearly cried for me!" Itachi raised one brow. "What? Are you stupid or what?" "Aaah! Come on, admit it already! I saw it with my own eyes! When I was trapped by the snakes you were already halfway in the arena to save me! There's no denying! Admit it! I won't give up before you do!" Itachi rolled his eyes. "Maybe.. I was a little bit worried..." Seishi grinned self-confident as rarely before. "Yeah! I knew it! You're nothing without me, baby!" Before Itachi could say anything - not that he knew anything to say anymore – a voice interrupted him. "There you are.." Hiashi Hyuuga came towards them. "President!" Seishi suddenly was absolutely different. Like someone had pulled a trigger. The smile was gone, the face was serious. "That's the reason you invited me here?" That guy looked pretty creepy so close. Those Clan bosses had all that same aura around them.. Itachi knew it just to well. "I wanted you to come, because.." Seishi was totally nervous. He belonged to the less important people in the Clan.. it must be hard for him. "You wanted me to see your fight? Your abilities? You thought it would make me change my decision?" Seishi bit on his lip. "You saw it, right? You know what I managed!" Hiashi looked unimpressed. "You mean that move? You want to tell me you developed yourself a new Hakke? And now you want me to praise you?" Seishi looked confused. It was a pretty rare sight to see him like that. "But I -" "I know what you did." Hiashi interrupted him. "You let your Chakra leak from all the Tenketsu over your body and pushed in the Chakra flow of the snakes. The pressure got so high that the organs were damaged and the snakes exploded from the inside. And you want to impress me with something like that?" Seishi clutched his hand. "But that's something no one before has ever accomplished before! Nobody in the Clan has ever managed to do such a thing! The Jutsu is strong and it saved my life!" Hiashi snorted derisively. "You've been lucky, that's all. No one has use for a Jutsu requiring so much time to charge. A second later and you'd be dead now." Seishi clearly fought with tears. "I never said it's finished.." Hiashi turned to go. "You have no right to be a part of our Clan. You're a shame for us. The only way to prove yourself is to beat the Uchiha offspring in the fight. But I doubt you could make it when you're so friendly to him." The Hyuuga boss left and Seishi stayed behind.  
"Shit.." His voice was trembling. "Is he serious? Why does he want to kick you out of the Clan?" Itachi couldn't believe it. This was a rarity even in his strict Clan. "He wanted to get rid of me from the very start.. But now he's really serious." Seishi gulped, his face was as pale as before. "What happens if they throw you out?" Sayuri, of course, had no idea of this whole Clan stuff. "Well.. they'll kick me out of my house.. and they seal my Kekkei-Genkai away." Sayuri's jaw flapped open. "What? But they can't do that!" Itachi answered, unaware that he was actually talking to Sayuri like that. "They can.. They can do whatever they want." Seishi breathed slowly to slow down his heartbeat. "You two just have no idea how much depends on this tournament." Sayuri looked at him worried. It wasn't so easy to believe that the cheerful Seishi was stuck so deep in all that shit. "Seishi.."

But Seishi was grinning again. A fake grin of course.. no one was dumb enough to believe it was real. "Don't worry about me. Your fight comes first now anyway."

* * *

_So starting next chapter the half finals :D Sayuri vs. Yugao.. and then follows Itachi vs. Seishi_

_I hope you can't wait just like me.._

_and I hope you don't have to wait that long . there's still one month until university starts.._

_I'm so nervous o.O_


	31. Bitch fight

_Hey everyone!_

_Thank you so much for your patience.. I know I'm impossible_

_It's kinda pathetic, yeah, to come up with excuses in every single chapter.. but I feel like I have to justify myself ._

_so I seem to have chosen the toughest degree course possible.._

_I had 4 (!) weeks of prep course and now I'm already at my limit before it even started.._

_plus I was.. and still am.. in stress as I'm moving to Munich right now.._

_and next week university officially and fully starts.. I still can't believe it myself :O_

_but of course you don't want to hear that at all.. you want to read the battle between Sayuri and Yugao! (I hope so at least) _

_So please enjoy :)_

* * *

Bitch fight

Two girls were standing in the arena, glaring at each other like they had been eternal arch enemies for ages. A quite unlikely assumption, though, since they were not knowing each other at all, they were seeing each other now for the second time and had never exchanged a single word. So why this atmosphere? Well, Sayuri was only glaring as evil as she could because she was glared at just the same way. And Yugao.. She had her very own reasons for glaring that way. "You dirty bitch! You will taste my revenge now!" Revenge? Sayuri was so confused she forgot to glare. Just like mentioned no instant earlier, Sayuri and Yugao had never really talked to each other before, let alone fought, so where was a reason for "revenge"? "What do you mean?" Sayuri figured the best way to find out was to ask. If she just hadn't.. "Don't play dumb! I'm taking revenge for Hayate!" Now Sayuri was understanding even less. If she remembered right, Hayate had been that guy who had been beaten up by Itachi. So what had it to do with her? "I still don't understand.. I have nothing to do with this matter.." Yugao's face went red. "Of course you do! It's fate that we meet here! As Hayate's girlfriend it's my duty to beat the girlfriend of the guy who defeated him! It's all about love! A battle of love! You have to understand that!" The more Yugao explained in her hysteric way, the less Sayuri actually understood. Did she just call her Itachi's girlfriend? She had no idea at all. "You're getting something awfully wrong.. I and Itachi aren't in that kind of relationship.." To be dead serious, they weren't in _any _kind of relationship right now. They were like strangers. "Don't make me laugh! I saw you two together! You're like the perfect couple."

A flash stroke Sayuri. Those words should comfort her, so why were they piercing her heart like a knife? The perfect couple? Her heart was filled with desire and sorrow. As she was like that, Yugao managed to get her off-guard. With a quick kick in the guts she jerked Sayuri's body a few meters through the air. While Sayuri was lying on the dusty ground, dirt in her mouth, she felt the wrath dwelling up inside. As she got up she clenched her fist, throwing a deadly glare at Yugao, this time a real one. "You fucking whore!" She stood up. "How dare you sticking your nose in other's businesses? You have no idea about me and Itachi! So shut the fuck up with your bloody imputations!" It was a really rare sight to see Sayuri that angry, using so many swearwords in one breath. Yugao didn't seem to be too thrilled to be yelled at like that, as well. "You bitch! You'll see what you get by talking to me like that!" In absolutely no time their posed glares had become expressions of poor hatred. Everyone could feel it now, the will to rip a certain someone into pieces.

They ran at each other cursing and screaming at each other. What followed was an uncoordinated and wild exchange of blows and kicks. None of them really aimed, none of them really hit.

The two were like furies running wild. Yugao managed to scratch Sayuri's arm with her nails, Sayuri bit in her shoulder in exchange. They tried to bring each other down with all their strength. Finally they jumped backwards and regained distance, Sayuri with a purple, Yugao with a silver wisps in their hands. Both breathed heavily. Senseless fighting really took a lot of energy.

What Sayuri should have known, but what she hadn't calculated, was that Ninjas never fought senselessly. Yugao grinned an amazingly creepy smile for her beautiful face. "You're done for!" Before Sayuri could think of anything Yugao could have meant, she took a little puppet out of her pocket, wearing a laced dress. With one quick hand grip she attached Sayuri's silver hair to the head of the puppet. Sayuri's jaw flapped open. "That supposed to be me?" She couldn't quite believe it, staring at the ugly little piece of cloth, sluttishly sewn, with differently sized buttons as eyes. No second the thought occurred to her mind, that this puppet might be something to actually worry about.

Yugao shrugged. "I think it looks just like you, ugly!" Sayuri was so shocked she didn't even realize it when Yugao drew a needle out of her pocket. "You're the ugly one here! Fat ass!" Sayuri screamed and ran at her once again. But after only a few steps she suddenly stopped, holding her hands to her hips. She grimaced in pain and coughed blood. "W-what.. did you do..?" Yugao's grin was the devil's. In her hands she still held the puppet, pierced by a needle at the very same spot where Sayuri's white dress started to become red. "That's it for you! Sorry, but you've lost! Give up before I kill you!" Sayuri panted for air. "No way.." Strangely, Yugao seemed happy about Sayuri's answer. "You choose." Yugao threw the puppet in the air. Simultaneously Sayuri's feet were ripped of the ground and her body jerked through the air. Exactly when the mini Sayuri hit the ground, the real one did as well, with a dull sound and a pained face. Itachi stood on the tribune, his trembling hands clenched the railing. When Sayuri's body had been in the air like she was a mere doll, he had had a déjà-vu which had hit him like a flash. Now that he was seeing her, helplessly lying on the ground, something was boiling inside of him. He couldn't watch this any longer. He was already about to jump into the arena. With all his will he bit on his lips and turned to go. Seishi watched him and already opened his mouth to say something, but Itachi's glare stopped him. So Itachi wasn't there to see what happened next.

Yugao kneed over the puppet, holding another needle in her hand, Sayuri watched her, vainly trying to stand up. "So what should I pierce next? Shall I spare you the pain and kill you quickly?" She let the needle glide over the doll's back of the head. Sayuri's silver hair was soaked in red blood. "Or shall I let you suffer?" She pierced the needle a few millimeter into the puppet's calf. Sayuri screamed in pain. Blood ran out of her leg. "So now come on! Give up already! You know I could do anything with you if I wanted to! I can rip your limbs off, I can tear you in thousand pieces! So what do you choose? Or are you still waiting for your lover to save you?" The situation had seemed so familiar to Sayuri, and yet it was completely different. She was lying on the ground, unable to move, about to be killed. But this time it was worse. "He won't come.." Sayuri gulped, she had a huge lump in her throat. "This time.. he won't.." Tears ran down her cheeks. Not because of the pain she felt in her leg, but because of the ache she felt in her heart. "Now you're even whining! All you need to do is giving up!" "I won't give up!" Sayuri's words seemed so strange given her situation.

Yugao bit on her tongue. "Well then, you didn't want it any other way! Die!" She took a third needle and was about to jam it in the puppet's heart. No second too early the silver hair attached to the puppet burst into flames. Soon the whole doll was reduced to ashes. Yugao looked startled at Sayuri, who was smiling faintly and about to get up. "Just how.. did you do this?" Sayuri was standing, her weight balanced on the uninjured leg. "I still have some tricks myself.." Yugao couldn't believe it. She shook her head. "But.. how did you know that you wouldn't burn along with my doll?" Everything what happened to the puppet had happened to Sayuri as well. It would have been the logical conclusion. "I didn't.. but there's always a risk in it." The words shocked Yugao even more. "So.. you would have preferred dying to giving up?" Sayuri nodded. "I will never give up as long as there's still hope." She reflected her words for one moment. Just when do you have to admit that there's no hope left? No matter how much she wanted to see it, she couldn't find any hope in her relationship with Itachi. "But what if you had died? Haven't you thought about your lover? Don't you think his heart would break?" Sayuri's face was emotionless and cold. Everything inside of her wanted to scream, but she did her best to hide it. "If you're still talking about Itachi.. I think he would have been glad if I had burnt to death." Yugao's eyes gaped. Thick tears came from Sayuri's cold eyes again and ran down her face. Her own words had ripped her heart apart. "He.. he's not..?" Sayuri shook her head. Yugao sank down to her knees. "You love him, right? But he.." "I love him more than anything else.. but he hates me." Yugao stared at the ground and clenched her fists. "I'm sorry.. I guess I really did you wrong." Sayuri said nothing.

"I give up. I can't possibly fight someone I pity so much." Sayuri couldn't believe it. "But..!" Yugao shook her head. "It's alright.. It's not like I had any chance left by now." She nodded her head towards a random direction. It wouldn't have mattered where she pointed her head anyway. During their talk Sayuri had built up a immense sphere of fireballs centering Yugao. A mere wink of Sayuri and they all had crushed down on Yugao, forcing her to accompany her puppet. But she didn't seem too eager to experience that. Sayuri shrugged and turned to go. "Well then.." As the fireballs dissolved, Sayuri was announced as winner. Therefore, the first combatant for the final had been found out. She hobbled a few steps, but then Seishi was already by her side to help her. "You alright?", he asked her as they were on their way to the medical room. "Yeah.. it's not that deep. I should be fine." Seishi shook his head. "I was talking about something else.." Sayuri avoided his eyes. She found nothing to say to him and Seishi didn't know what to say to comfort her. It wouldn't help her if he told her that Itachi was a big idiot and how could he say to her that everything would be alright if he didn't even believe it himself? It was a terribly awkward situation and Seishi wanted to beat the crap out of Itachi to let it have come so far. Luckily, he soon had the chance to do so.

Meanwhile, Itachi was standing in front of the arena, trying to regain focus. He kinda hated himself for being so easily influenced by the fight. Even now he couldn't stop himself from praying for Sayuri's safety. "What are you doing out there? You've missed a most heartbreaking drama!" Shisui jumped off the arena and landed next to Itachi. "So the fights over now?" Itachi did his best to hide the hope in his voice. "Yeah. We're lucky. Everything's going just as planned." "You mean.." "Right. She won. Now all that's left is that you beat that idiot and get in the final." Itachi felt so relieved he fought back a tear when he heard that Sayuri had won, but on the other hand his stomach churned at the thought that he had to fight her later. "Maybe you should get inside now. It's your turn again. You shouldn't have any problems against that Hyuuga guy." Itachi shook his head and was about to return in the arena. "Of course not. You know how your father would react if you lost and destroyed that chance for us." Itachi flinched. It was creepy, as if he had read his mind. Right the one moment, when the thought had struck his mind.

_Maybe I should lose. _Without saying anything more Itachi went back into the arena, where Seishi was already waiting for him. Shisui watched him. "Sorry Itachi..", he said to himself, "but I just can't let you crawl out of this."

* * *

_I know this was a pretty short one.._

_But it's really tough if you have NO idea at all about the actual skills of someone :O_

_so I simply made Yugao a voodoo witch.. even though it might be completely stupid^^'_

_Let's see what crazy things I think of next time.. see you then :)_


	32. Friendship and Rivalry

_So finally, after half a year, I'm back with the new chapter._

_I know I can barely believe it myself..but I really had a hard start in real life this year.._

_First: Studying is like hundreds of times harder than I have ever imagined.. _

_Second: Having a boyfriend is like hundreds of times more exhausting than I have ever believed_

_Yes and I know these are not very good excuses for being so slow_

_So here comes the funny part in my last months:_

_I got struck down with a pretty bad illness, landed in hospital for 6 weeks and couldn't go to my tests.._

_Now I have to catch up on everything we did in college and revise so I can repeat them _

_Yeah and I used my revising time to finally finish and upload this chapter^^_

_Phew I'm so glad I finally made this .._

_I just hope I manage to reorganize my life again.. so I'll finally update regularily_

* * *

**Friendship and Rivalry**

Opposites. Our world is full with it. High and low. Hot and cold. Light and darkness. Love and hate. Two words, two meanings, mutually exclusive, inconsistent. Everyone knows that and everyone would agree with it. So is there a way to combine two opposites in a twisted emotion? Is it possible to need somebody, wanting him at your side, and at the same time coursing his very existence? Sympathy and dislike? Is it possible to admire someone, watching every step he takes and wanting to be just like him and at the same time flinching at any effort he makes, trying obsessed to surpass him, to leave him behind and to cut him down on his way to the top? Admiration and envy?

Is it possible to love someone at the bottom of your heart, to hold on to someone, to trust someone unconditioned and at the same time to see him as an obstacle, something in the way that needs to be overcome, sometimes even destroyed? Friendship and rivalry? How could these two contradictions live in one heart? How could you feel for a person like this simultaneously?

Seishi didn't know it, but he knew he had those feelings inside. He was aware, that this was just the way he was feeling about Itachi. Now, as they were facing each other in the arena, about to carry out a fight not only on the title of chuunin, but also a fight of pride and the everlasting question which one was stronger, he was aware of it more than ever.

All eyes in the arena were focused on them, most with excitement and joy. But there were a few eyes, scattered in the arena, which stared at them with cold eyes, determined and full of anticipation. Those eyes belonged to the members of the Uchiha and Hyuga Clan, who had there own opinion on the meaning of the fight.

"You know what our fight means for Konoha and our families? It's a fight about honor and pride. They want to figure out which Clan is the stronger and we're there tools to figure it out." Itachi had long known it and so had Seishi. How could he ever forget how Hiashi came to him for the first time in all those years, just to tell him that if he were to fight Itachi in the exam, he should better win.

"I'm not standing here as an Hyuuga, showing the world that we're better than you Uchihas. I'm standing here as myself, showing everyone that I'm stronger than you. I'm sick of it! For all those years they ignored my very existence, they treated me like trash. They wanted to forget about me, behaved like I had died along with my family. Never once they treated me like a member of the Clan. But now, now that they see I'm good, now that I'm facing you, the heir of the Uchiha Clan, on equal terms, they come, telling me something about honor, about duties. Telling me I have to beat you for my Clan's sake. But I don't care about that! I don't care what they want me to do. I'll beat you now and here, not for my Clan's but for my sake!"

Itachi said nothing and avoided Seishi's eyes. Finally he sighed and looked at him.

"I envy you for being able to see it that way. I can't ignore my Clan's will like that. My honor and my reputation in my family depends on this fight. But I won't fight you as a Hyuuga, a member of the rival Clan, I'll fight you as yourself, since you are my rival and my friend."

Seishi couldn't restrain himself from smiling.

"You have no idea what that means to me. How long have I waited for this? How long have I trained for this? What have I done only that you would finally see me like that? Acknowledge me as your equal and rival..."

His lips couldn't form the word "friend". He had barely understood it yet. Never once before Itachi had called him that way so the words burnt themselves deep in his heart. Seishi still couldn't understand how he could have these opposing feelings in his heart, but now that he knew Itachi was feeling the same way, he was put at ease.

Before Seishi could gather himself again, the examiner rose his hand and initialized the fight. Itachi, aware of Seishi's unpreparedness, raced forward to take his chance.

Luckily, Seishi hadn't been lazy the last month, for a change, and he had trained his body to perfection. Without wasting a thought he dodged every single attack from Itachi automatically, his Taijutsu was working just fine without even using Seishi's mind. In combat alone, Itachi was sure to loose, he should know this pretty well himself. So why was he even trying? There was something he was plotting for sure.

While his body was dodging on his own, Seishi's mind slowly came back to reality. No matter what Itachi had said and no matter how confused Seishi was, there was one thing for sure right now: Itachi was his opponent and he had to defeat him. He waited for the right moment and hit Itachi's stomach with his palm. The punch hadn't been very strong, but the impact of the concentrated chakra Seishi had injected in Itachi's body simultaneously jerked him through the air. After a few feet Itachi made a backflip in midair and blew a huge fireball in Seishi's direction. There was no way to dodge _this._ But Seishi didn't have to dodge. All he had to do was to wave few handsigns and put his hands on the ground: "Doton: Doryuu Jouheki!" No second too early the ground cambered and a huge wall of earth built up in front of Seishi and the fire shattered literally when it hit it. For few seconds the place Seishi had been was covered in dust. Suddenly he jumped out of the smokescreen and ran towards Itachi. Of course, Itachi had seen that beforehand and threw a couple of Shuuriken at him, but again Seishi dodged easily and headed further. Itachi sent another rain of Shuuriken towards Seishi, but this time he used a Jutsu to multiply them while flying. The rain became a storm leaving no chance to dodge. Seishi was hit by a couple of them and no moment later he dissolved in smoke, causing two other Seishis to jump out of the remains of the dispersed dust. Itachi didn't seem to be very surprised about it and continued his move. Again he threw Shuuriken and multiplied them, again he hit both Seishis, again they dissolved in smoke. The dust had been gone now and the sight was clear again. Though, besides the two Seishis having been clones obviously, there was no Seishi in the arena. All what was left was Itachi, the little hill of earth, and the huge windmill Shuuriken Itachi seemed to have thrown along with the others without anybody having noticed. It headed right into the direction of the earthwall, crossed it and suddenly stood still in midair, before it started to rotate again flying backward like a Boomerang, now heading for the earthwall from the other side. Only a moment before it crushed in the earth, a figure crawled out of it. Like it had been one with the earthwall and split from it again. Right when the Shuuriken ripped itself in the earth, Seishi was landing on his feet.

"What was that? Are you trying to insult me? Wanting to get me with such a lousy Genjutsu.. you should know this won't work on me." Seishi grinned. "I know, I know. Just let me have some fun. And let you have some victorious moments before I kick your ass." Itachi shook his head. "Dream on" He barely had finished those two words when Seishi was suddenly standing in front of him and started his payback for before. Even though he wasn't even going all out at Itachi, latter had a very hard time to dodge all the attacks. The fact, that Seishi was unexcelled in Taijutsu was still prevalent and most likely would always be. Itachi kept being pushed back further and further. The moment he would reach the wall, he'd be done for. In one moment where Seishi was off guard, he jumped up and made a salto above Seishi to get behind him. But another time, Seishi was too quick for Itachi. While he was still floating above him, Seishi made a quick backflip and kicked him with his feet downwards, turned around and jerked him a second time through the arena. Itachi crushed against the earthwall with his back and spit blood. When had Seishi become so strong? Itachi could see his movements before they were actually happening but he wasn't quick enough to act. He tried to stand up quickly before Seishi was doing anything else, but it was already too late. He couldn't move. His hands were enclosed in earth coming out from the wall. Just like a snake it tied him to the hill of earth behind him. "How did you.." "Didn't you recognize?" Seishi was still standing at the other end of the arena and smiled. "I put some of my Chakra in the wall, so I could control the earth even while being far away from it.. now you fell in my trap." Seishi started to approach Itachi and reached for a scroll in one of his pockets. Itachi gulped. That was not good at all. "You know Itachi, I trained very hard for this day. One month I did nothing else than training and training my body to perfection, so nobody could beat it, not even you. I swore I would defeat you today and you never stood a single chance." He enrolled the scroll, bit on his thumb and put his blood on the scripts written. No second later the scroll disappeared and was replaced by a huge battle ax. Itachi grinned. "Reminds me.. you're still owing me some money.." Seishi shrugged. "What about that: I'll defeat you and all my debts are gone?" Itachi hissed. "Forget it." Seishi now was standing right in front of him, with the weapon that Itachi had cost a small fortune in his hands.

"Of course you would refuse since you already know you will lose." He held the sharp side of the ax right underneath Itachi's nose. "But you won't forget that one other deal we had, right?"

How could he? The deal that Itachi would stay with them after the tournament if Seishi won, even though he had the plans to change for another team. Itachi's face went gloomy. He seemed to have forgotten. "I'm a man and I'll stand by my word." Seishi smiled delighted. He lowered his ax and knelt down to be at eye level with Itachi. They looked at each other, deep in the eye. Itachi's eyes were blood red, with three deep black dots in it. They were almost hypnotizing. "You know, it would have been like the end of the world to me if I had lost this fight and had allowed you to go. I would have never been able to forgive myself if I had let you getting away with this gutless farce." Those two sentences didn't seem to fit together. The first was warm and kind, the second cold and bitter. Seishi's eyes were cold now as he looked at Itachi. "So why don't you end this now as the fight is over and it doesn't matter anyway? Just say it now, that all of this hadn't been your idea. Admit it, it was your father right? You never wanted to quit the team!"

Itachi didn't answer. He seemed to be quite calm considering the situation he was in. "Come on, admit it and give in! The fight is over, accept it." Itachi grinned. "Say Seishi, have you ever heard of the saying 'Don't count your chickens before they are hatched'?" Seishi looked at him startled. In his head he was going through all the things he could have missed, all the possibilities Itachi had left now to turn the tide. He couldn't find any.

Suddenly he couldn't move anymore, his arms and legs felt like they were in chains. Itachi stood up with easiness though he was supposed to be fixed to the earth. "You really believed you could get me with some simple Genjutsu? I jerked it back at you." Seishi bit on his lips. "Crap.. I kinda thought it would be ironic to beat you with Genjutsu.."

Itachi grinned. "So now you see how fast the situation can change. So, will you give up now?"

Seishi's face got serious. "Over my dead body!"

It was really unbelievable how often the situation changed in this fight. All Seishi could move was a finger, but it was enough to let the ax glide from his hands. The grip landed right on his feet. Only one second the pain was written in Seishi's face, but no moment later he was ripped out of the Genjutsu, hit the startled Itachi in the guts so hard he convulsed and spit blood. Seishi used his chance further to regain some distance using a backflip. Now the fight had returned to its starting position. Maybe they were equals after all. Maybe this fight was destined to go on forever.

Itachi breathed heavily and held his stomach. "You bastard..", he mumbled.

In rage Itachi grabbed the ax Seishi had dropped, which was lying right before his feet.

He tried to raise it, but it was futile. It was awfully heavy. Seishi grinned. "Well, I thought you know this ax was made of a special material. The only way to lift it is to use earth-based Chakra." Itachi hissed. He hadn't thought of that. "So how do you want to strike with a weapon you can't wield and defeat..", he formed a fingersign and summoned two Kagebunshin next to him, ".. us?"

Itachi looked at his three enemies and thought about his situation. He was standing there with a huge ax he could barely lift and had to fight a guy who was awfully quick and strong and to make matters worse he was facing three versions of him. Well, Seishi was right, that was no good at all.

When the three Seishis started to run at him, Itachi gave the ax another look and shook his head. Then he threw it – or better let it fall - on the ground again and searched for something in his bags. "Well, change of plans then." He drew out a smoke bomb and jerked it in front of his feet. No second later the whole arena was covered by a smokescreen.

The audience got anxious again. Nobody wanted to miss a single second of the happenings down there. A derisive laughter echoed through the smoke. "Is this your last trump? The last thing coming to your mind? Do you know me that little that you don't know this smoke is totally useless against my eyes?" Itachi stepped through the smoke, trying to locate the voice. But the problem was, the laughter was a trio and the sound was dolby surround. Itachi looked around, of course he was seeing nothing but smoke. He flinched when he felt a light air draft in his neck and turned around, but it was already too late. Seishi was jumping at him, thick veins around his eyes, his fore- an middle finger striking at him. He hit, two times, four times, sixteen times, 32 times, 64 times, 128 times. The strikes fell down on Itachi like rain. His mind went black, his limbs numb and he tasted blood in his mouth.

When the smoke dissolved the audience held their breath. Everyone knew that only one would be left standing when the sight was clear again. But no one would have expected the outcome.

The first thing they saw was Itachi, standing exactly where he had been before. He seemed to be unharmed, not even out of breath, like he hadn't lifted a finger the whole time. Then the smokescreen dissolved completely and what they saw irritated them all. Seishi was barely able to stand, his knees shivering, his clothes covered in blood. His face was pale as snow, he was holding his stomach with one hand and his moth with the other. Again and again he spit up blood.

"How.. when.. ? It can't.. " Itachi looked on the ground. "When you looked me in the eyes. I laid a Genjutsu on you, strong enough so you wouldn't realize and you couldn't undo it that easily. I made your Kagebunshin mistaking your real self for me and attacking you." Seishi tried to calm his breath. "That means.. I.." Itachi shook his head. "The moment you looked me in the eyes you had already lost this fight. You underestimated the powers of an Uchiha." Seishi lost balance and fell forward. No second later Itachi was standing in front of him, catching him and slowly and carefully laying him on the ground. "Your wounds look awfully.. You have to be treated right away." Seishi smiled at Itachi's worried face. "It's alright. I didn't attack you to kill you. I'll survive it." Itachi nodded. "Maybe that was your mistake. Maybe I would be better off.." He didn't finish the sentence.

"It's a pity.. You don't know how much this fight meant to me. Not only because of our bet.." His eyes went sad. "Now all I have left to do is to beg you. All I can do is to beg you to stay with us."

Itachi bit on his lips. Something in his face looked as if he was starting to cry any moment now.

"But you know.. on second thought it's not that bad I lost.. 'cause I really don't want to be stuck in your shoes right now." Itachi was confused. Seishi nodded in a direction and Itachi followed, his heart stopped beating for a moment. As the examiner was announcing the winner of the battle, the board with the battle constellations was updated and the names of the finalist were now on top. He had known it all along, he had known it would happen if he won this fight. He had just forgotten it for a short time. And now being reminded of it made it even worse.

While the audience screamed and applauded, Itachi's hearing got dump. Quietly the words of the examiner were resounding in his ears. "The next fight will be the final. Itachi Uchiha vs. Sayuri Hatake!"

* * *

_So that's what I needed half a year for.._

_Well then I will go on revising now^^ I will continue as soon as my tests are over_

_and I will try my best to get some order in my life during my second semester.._

_See you then :) And thank you so much for staying so patient :)_


	33. The Beauty vs The Beast

…_.I'm sorry?_

_This time I won't try to justify myself.. I could tell you a story, longer than the chapter itself, about all the stuff having happened to me the last months and all the reasons why I couldn't write on_

_I could tell you about my nightmare-breakup, my psychical breakdown, my horror-exams, my exhausting job, my car accident and so on and on and on_

_but I've been telling these stories so often now and I'm actually tired of it so: Here it is_

_The new chapter, the last of a huge long story_

_Finally, FINALLY the Chuunin exams are over! Yes! We managed it.._

_I'm so happy :3_

_I hope you are too ;) well I mean I hope you are happy I finally updated_

_So please enjoy it because I can't tell you when the next chapter will come_

_All I can promise you is that I will do my best.. and.. the fighting is over for now :D_

_the stuff I am really worst in.. so it just can get better^^_

* * *

**The Beauty VS. The Beast**

What has happened so far:

Itachi, Seishi and Sayuri are three outstanding students of the Ninja Academy in the village Konoha. Due to their talents, they are allowed to graduate at the age of 7 years and become Genin. Forming a team of three, they take on missions and tough fights as they grow together and build up a close friendship. Three years pass and at the age of ten, they participate in the Chuunin exams to climb the ladder of their Ninja career. However, they get in trouble in the second part of the exam, being drawn in a hopeless seeming fight. In consequence, Itachi watches Sayuri transforming into a creature with wings and fangs, finding out she is actually a demon. Confused and angry he distances himself from the group, planning to leave it after the exams. Finally the third and last part starts and the friends find themselves in an arena to fight in a tournament. In the end, Itachi and Sayuri are the only ones left and are forced to fight.

* * *

The break of one hour between the end of the half finals and the final of the tournament felt like an eternity for the audience. Nobody could remember to have felt such a tension in the huge arena before. The last contestants remaining were two children at the age of 10, yet some were already speaking of the most promising duel since more than 5 years.

The reason? Well, the names of duelists were big and they had shown their audition in the previous rounds, that they were more than living up to the expectations sticking to those names.

Of course these weren't the kind of things you burden children with, fights of family honor and representation, but nobody really cared anyway.

If these were the only things burdening Itachi right now, he would feel like the most careless boy in the world. But when he was standing back in the arena again, the words of his father still ringing in his ears, he felt sick. He still saw his face when he closed his eyes, the strict glare leaving no room for contradictions, and Shisui's surveying gaze in the neck. It was not that he had been surprised. They had already discussed that possibility and Itachi's duty in this case long before the day of the tournament had come. But that it would really happen.. this exceeded all of Itachi's nightmares.

He looked at Sayuri standing face to face to him, her skin pale, her eyes were avoiding contact with his. Why couldn't she just give up right now? Why couldn't she become sick, losing consciousness or anything like that? Anything keeping this fight from being carried out would be just fine.

It's just like life is always playing games with everyone. You always have the fear that something might happen, you always have the thought in the back of your head, but still you keep praying and hope that it just won't. And then, of course, it happens and you shake your head for being that naïve.

That's just what Sayuri thought right now. She knew her luck. She had known that it would end like this. And yet she still couldn't believe it even now that she was standing here in the arena, ready to fight the guy she had the crush of her life on. Just how should she do this?

Frantic thoughts were running wild in her head, confusing her even more. As the examiner waited for the audience to calm down enough to start the fight, Sayuri was trying to regain order in her mind and focus on what she had to do. She had to fight. With all her might. There was no time to let her emotions take control, no time to hesitate. Maybe she could take this chance to show Itachi her strength, to get back his respect and maybe his friendship. She was more than the filthy demon Itachi wanted to see her as. She was a Shinobi. And one of the best.

The next moments flashed by foggy and hazy like long past memories. The audience gave their best to follow the quick movements, the flowing exchange of blows, but it was futile. Sayuri had gone straight offensive on Itachi the second the fight commenced and Itachi kept dodging and trying to counter, yet none of them landed a strike.

This went on for less than a minute until they realized that their Taijutsu was equal and was not to get them anywhere. And again Sayuri was the one determined enough to push the fight forward.

She jumped backwards and flipped in the air while summoning her double-blades simultaneously. When she hit the ground, she jumped back at Itachi to attack him now armed.

Itachi did his best to dodge the frantic rain of blades and drew back. He knew he had no chance against these double-blades, no kunai or other weapon fit to keep up with them. He waited for the right moment, then jumped and flipped just like she did, only way further to gain enough distance. Sayuri didn't follow him. She seemed eager to figure out what he was up to. If Itachi just knew it himself. What should he do? He glanced at the part of the arena where his family was seated and felt the expectations of every single one of them. The cold, merciless eyes of his father. Where was the sense in even thinking about it? He had no choice anyway and this knowledge was like a hit in the guts.

Still unsettled he closed his eyes and made a decision. It would be a gamble. One attack to decide everything. He took a deep breath, formed quick finger signs and with the words "Katon: Gookakyu no Jutsu" he blew a huge fireball right in Sayuri's direction.

This attack was almost impossible to dodge, the fireball was just to huge. There was no point in jumping, there was no point in running, no point in trying to run to the sides. But Sayuri didn't look like she was going to avoid it anyway. She had always had an affinity to the offensive. Fearless she held her double-blades in the air and started to rotate them. "Fuuton: Kami Oroshi!" The next moment, whirlwinds started to build up in front of Sayuri, racing at the fireball and jerking it back at Itachi, only with doubled size. Now Itachi was the one targeted by his own attack. But he, also, made no attempt to dodge the even less avoidable fire coloss. A second before he would be hit, his body simply dissolved in smoke and the fireball rushed against the tribune. The audience shrieked and some even jumped up ready to evacuate but luckily the arena wasn't made of easily burning material and the fire went out leaving no traces at all. Just like Itachi who was out of sight, but not for too long. A blink later he reappeared right behind Sayuri, holding a Kunai on her neck. The decision had been made.

Sayuri flinched. "Since when do you know how to use Fuuton?" She was completely speechless. The surprise mixed up with the dizziness she felt with Itachi standing so close to her. How much she had missed him. How much she had missed his voice. Even though she felt the despise in his words and she knew where this talk would lead to. She gulped and her body dissolved in smoke. Itachi was standing alone in the arena, Sayuri was nowhere to be seen. But he didn't care. Not at all.

His blood red eyes were gliding along the arena. They were so cold that it was nearly surprising that the spots he looked at weren't freezing at the moment. And just as cold were his words.

"Back at the academy, when we were only six years old, you first used a fire style jutsu."

Itachi started to go forward.

"Two years ago, you killed a dozen Chuunin in few seconds with Raiton."

He walked slowly, like a lion on the prowl.

"Now it's very difficult for a human to master two different natures, only the best can do it. And it's nearly impossible to master a third. So how can it be you used Doton in one of the fights before?"

It looked like he was just aimlessly wandering around, but..

"So how the freaking hell, my _princess_, do you want to explain to me that you even possess a fourth nature without admitting, that this is something only a _beast _can do?"

He stopped. The air was filled with tension and the audience was so silent, they didn't even dare to breath. "Tell me!" Screaming those words he punched in the earth right in front of him and dragged silver strings out of it. A shrill cry echoed in the arena when Itachi slowly and mercilessly drew the girl out of her hideout, grabbing only her hair. He held her in front of his face so he could see the tears and the pain in her eyes. Sayuri sobbed and put her hands on Itachi's, trying to make him let go.

"Yes, my Chakra is different natured than yours. But why is that a reason to hate me?" In her eyes was still a spark of determination left. The last spark Itachi had to put out. "Are you kidding me?"

He threw her against the wall where she hit with a horrible sound. There she cowered on the ground, unable to move. Itachi went towards her. "There is absolutely no reason not to hate you. You're a monster." He stood in front of her and violently grabbed her face which was soaked in tears. "I have no idea why you're even in this village. There is no place for scum like you. You have no right to exist here."

All those words were hurting Sayuri like nothing before and killed the last will in her to stand up. Where had she seen this scene before? With her with the back to the wall and Itachi kneeling before her? Thousand times in her dreams. But in her dreams these lips wanted to kiss her and here they were trying to destroy her. In her dreams she was the happiest girl in the world and here.. here she couldn't bear her life any second longer.

Itachi saw it in her eyes. The sorrow. The last spark she had was gone. Now it took him only one last step and it was over. And his family would get what they wanted. And he.. he would lose the one thing he had ever wanted forever. He let go of her and stepped back and without thinking, without feeling it, the biggest lie in his life came over his lips. The painfullest thing he had ever said.

"I hate you. I really wish you would have never been born. I really want you to be dead."

Sayuri's body started to tremble, she hid her face in her hands and broke into tears. She cried and sobbed and Itachi just felt like he wanted to cry along with her. A voice in his head said that he should put his arms around her and comfort her, but he knew he had no right to do this anymore. He had no right to stand here, looking at her. Seeing her like that it was like the truth was spitting in his face.

Sayuri was the human here. And he was the beast. He was the monster, the scum who had no right to exist. How could he be so blind? How could he doubt that Sayuri was a good person? And how could he do this to her just because his father wanted him to? But now it was already too late.

Sayuri's desperation grew with any second. She cried and cried and screamed. But then something happened which hadn't been planned. The tears Sayuri cried ran down her face, her hands, her arms and dropped on the ground. And suddenly they turned into fire. The next moment Sayuri stood in flames. And those flames were spreading rapidly. They were climbing up the walls, burning the earth to dust and reducing everything to ashes, even the arena which had been absolutely unimpressed of Itachi's fireball before. And now the real panic started. Only seconds passed and the whole arena was standing in flames, the sky was red and the people screamed and were pushing out the exits. Itachi was standing there dumbfounded, disbelieving that this actually was happening. Not till a huge burning pillar was hitting the ground right next to him he realized, that he might should leave this place as well.

He turned around and noticed, that he was completely surrounded by fire, apart from a small aisle. Another falling pillar seemed to have ripped the wall apart. That was his chance. He headed in the direction, ran a few steps and stopped. He suddenly had a really bad feeling.

He turned around and flinched. Sayuri was lying where she had been before, unconscious, buried by a few burning stones. Itachi's heart stopped. He had been prepared today that he would lose her, but.. no, why was he even trying to fool himself? He had never been prepared to lose her. He could never lose her. No! "Sayuri!" As fast as he could he ran back to her and tried to free her with his bare hands. The fire was reaching for him, burning his fingers, but he did his best to move the heavy stones away from Sayuri's dainty body. How ridiculous it was that this stone was burning. How ridiculous this power was. In desperateness he somehow managed to free her and tried to wake her up. "Sayuri! Hey! Stay with me! Wake up!" But it was futile. She wouldn't hear him. And they had no time left.

Itachi grabbed her and carried her in his arms towards the hole in the wall. Slowly Sayuri's eyes shivered and opened a little. "Itachi? What... Why?" She was weak and confused. Itachi stayed silent. "Why do you save me?" Her voice trembled, tears started to flow over her face again. Itachi didn't know what to say. He didn't dare to look at her eyes. "I'm.. sorry" That was all he managed to say. Sayuri said nothing anymore. She didn't know where to put this apologize. All she knew was that she couldn't help herself but feeling happy. Being carried in his arms, a beast in the arms of a prince.

When they left the arena and searched a save place to rest, it was already fully evacuated. The people were gathering at the other side, luckily, so Itachi and Sayuri had their chance to talk.

Itachi carefully laid Sayuri in the grass and helped her to sit up. "You said before..", she started with a low voice, "..that you.. you want me to die, right? So why.. why did you save me? You've could just let me.." Itachi still couldn't look at her face. He felt so ashamed for the things he had said. He stared at the ground and finally bowed his head before Sayuri. "I'm so sorry.. so sorry.." She didn't understand a word he was saying. "Itachi.. I don't get it.. I'm the one who is sorry.. because of me the whole arena is burning down.. and.. and.. you're hurt.." Itachi shook his head, lifted it and finally was able to raise it and look Sayuri in his eyes. The guiltiness was no longer to be hidden. "It's all just my fault. It's me who made you do this. It's.." He hesitated for a moment, but then decided for the first time against his family. "My Clan wanted me to provoke you in this fight. They wanted me to make you angry so you would transform and the whole audience would see it. And then.. Konoha would have had no other choice but to banish you. I.. I am terribly sorry. Every word I said was a lie." Sayuri panted for air. "Wh-what? What is the meaning of this? I don't.. don't get it.." "It's just like I said.. I don't think you're a beast.. the beast is me for doing this to you. I don't hate you.. and I couldn't take it if you died." Itachi gulped and turned to go. Sayuri grabbed his hand. "W-wait.. don't go." "Are you sure..?" Itachi wasn't sure what to do. "Don't you want me out of sight now?" Sayuri shook her head. "Please don't go" Itachi kneed down next to her and tried to figure out what she wanted. He was afraid. The fear was clearly written in his face.

Sayuri opened her mouth to say something, went on with sobbing and finally broke into tears. She threw her head at his breast and cried. Itachi was confused. He couldn't believe what happened but also couldn't resist the temptation to put his arms around her and stroke her hair. "When my mother left us.. she sealed away my power. I can't change as I want to. I only transform.. when my life is in danger.. or the life of someone I love." Itachi bit on his lips. Those words made all his points he had about why she didn't transform just like that when a fight seemed to be harder meaningless. He felt so stupid. "Sayuri.. there's no way I can possibly tell you how sorry I am. And there's no way you can possibly forgive me." Sayuri shook her head without lifting it from Itachi's breast. "No.. it's alright. Just as long as you are here. Just as long as everything will be as it used to." And so Itachi held her in his arms and wondered how she was able to forgive him like that. He tried to calm her down until someone came and looked after them.

And while this happened, he smelled the smoke behind him and the light smell of lilies right beside him, wondering even more why he felt like being caught in an odd déjà-vu. Knowing that it wasn't possible that he had experienced this before.. yet knowing that he had. A long, long time ago. With Sayuri in his arms.

* * *

_So here finally we managed to get through this long and hard exams :) _

_I guess it was a rather surprising ending, right? Though I have no idea.._

_What exactly is this phenomena in manga that people actually simply forgive people who did terrible things to them? You know what I mean right? The one thing always happens.. _

_They try to kill each other, hurt each other and in the end they're suddenly best friends._

_And I always think: Just how can they do this? I can't possibly forgive someone like that! That's absolutely unrealistic! And I thought about that.._

_So people that's now some philosophic psycho trash.. so just ignore it if you're not interested_

_But I realized that that isn't the problem.. the problem in real life is not the missing capability of forgiving someone. The problem is, that the people simply don't see what they've done. They don't feel sorry and of course don't change. So why would you forgive them?_

_I've been hurt a lot in my life, there are lot of people who treated me like crap_

_And I can't forgive them.. so is it my weakness for not being able to forgive?_

_I actually think the reason is, that none of those people understands that they treated me wrong, none of them ever once said he's sorry. And by the next chance they got they would act like that again._

_So where is the point in forgiving those people? There's none! And I'd say I'm better off without them._

_So maybe if one of them suddenly realized that it wasn't right and apologized to me, maybe I could simply forgive and forget. I don't know. It's a tough thing I guess.._

_Someone has his own opinion to that? Well if you want you just can feel free and review or something^^_

_Until next time ;) Hopefully soon.._


	34. One step back and two steps forward

_Hello my dear readers :)_

_Maybe you've realized that this chapter is a little shorter than usually_

_But don't be disappointed just yet! Since it's Christmas soon I have a special for you:_

_Until Christmas – and yes I know it's only one week – I will post 3 chapters :D_

_So these three will be a little shorter than usually because, I hope you understand, I can't possibly do in one week the triple of what I seem to do in a whole semester.._

_But my motivation for studying is now absolutely gone and I don't plan to lift a finger until Christmas, so I can write on here at least._

_Enjoy :)_

* * *

**One step back and two steps forward**

When Seishi lifted the curtains to the noodle store, he was greeted by a cheerful smile and groggy and desperate eyes. Ayame started to prepare his noodle soup just the way he always wanted it with the greatest motivation, clearly trying to demonstratively ignore the intense exchange of glares between Seishi and Itachi. "So here he is, the guy who burnt down the arena." Seishi hissed. "What do you mean, 'here he is'? You asked me to come here." Itachi hissed back. The love between those two filled the atmosphere with warmth and happiness. "You're talking big for someone who ultimately messed up." Itachi looked at the floor. "I really hope for you you fixed that." Itachi searched his eyes. "You're not talking about the arena, right?" Seishi immediately gave Itachi a gaze to punish him for even thinking that Seishi would mean anything else but what he did. "I guess I did.. more or less." Seishi shook his head. "There is no 'more or less'. Either it's clarified or not. I won't be satisfied with anything else and the stability of our team won't as well." But Itachi didn't back down. "What team?" Seishi couldn't believe it. "You're not seriously quitting, aren't you? Still following your parents stupid wishes like a puppy?" Itachi's eyes got darker. "Even if..", he gulped and looked away again, "even if I wanted to stay, there is no way for me to return just like that, right?" Seishi rolled his eyes. "Of course you can't! You're nuts? After all the crap you have said and done there is surely no way to return 'just like that'. You have to get your ass up and do something!" Itachi said nothing. He was staring holes in the air, his soup still untouched. Finally he opened his mouth. "But.. what?" Seishi sighed. He thought about it for a moment, then put his hand on Itachi's shoulder. "You really like her, don't you?" Itachi blushed and averted his eyes. Of course he would never admit it. "You know what this weekend is, right?" Itachi flinched and stared at Seishi again. "You're not serious! That's.. I can't.. " Seishi must have really hit a weak spot when he was able to make Itachi stutter. "Well, _I will._ You can bet on that. But as I'm your friend - even after all the things that happened and all the horrible ways of killing you I imagined during that final – I will defer to you. This is a once in a lifetime thing. If you mess up I will never hold back for you again, I promise you that, and I will have no bad conscience, got that?" Itachi was clearly speechless. All he could do was nodding and giving Seishi a simple "Thank you." But his grateful eyes were enough to let Seishi know just how much his offer had been appreciated and that was just fine to sweeten the bitterness of his decision a bit.

Before they could say anything else, the curtain was lifted again and Sayuri stepped in. "Good morning?" She seemed to be quite confused and still tired. Itachi, too, seemed to be pretty shocked. Well, of course, since Seishi told both to come here without letting them know that the other one would come, too. Sayuri forced herself a smile and Itachi nodded back reluctantly. A clear sign that they had talked about everything superficially, but their relationship was as confused as ever. It was finally time to end this game.

"So Sayuri-chan, did everything turn out well?" First thing to do was to talk about some trivial stuff. "Well, I think so.. it was kinda strange." Itachi raised his brows. "What is it?" Sayuri flinched and bit on her lips. "Well..", she started reluctantly, "I had to go to the Hokage today because of.. the fire.." Itachi regretted immediately that he had asked. "Oh.. ok.." He looked away, the bad conscience written all over his face. "Sooo what do you mean it was strange?" Sayuri shrugged. "I don't know. He simply smiled and said 'Shit happens.' I think that's pretty strange regarding the fact that I burnt down the whole arena. It was a miracle nobody got hurt." Nobody except Sayuri and Itachi themselves, of course, who were covered in bruises and burns. "Ok, that sounds definitely strange, but I guess you should just be glad." Sayuri nodded. But all three of them knew instantly that the last word hasn't been spoken yet. It was the Hokage after all. This could almost turn out as some kind of ultimate punishment.

"Anybody heard anything yet from the examiners?" Why was it so tough to find a pleasant topic? Itachi and Sayuri looked at him confused. "You're not actually getting your hopes up, are you?" Itachi started. "I mean.. we messed up in any way we could. Me especially..", Sayuri added. "Ah come on, we weren't THAT bad. At the beginning at least... maybe they'll turn a blind eye." The other two didn't seem to be convinced. "Positive thinking..? Right?" Sayuri and Itachi shook their heads simultaneously. Seishi sighed and gave in. The dream of becoming chuunin seemed to be postponed at first. "So anything else? I have to get going, my brother waits for me at home and is quite nervous." Sayuri was already about to leave. "W-wait! One thing.." Seishi didn't expect that Sayuri wanted to go that early. Now he wasn't mentally prepared. Or better: Itachi wasn't mentally prepared. Seishi gave him a meaningful look to show him his cue had come. Itachi was obviously shocked. "Yes?" Sayuri became impatient. And she didn't quite get why Seishi kept glaring at Itachi even though he wanted to tell her something. But that stupid Uchiha didn't seem to have any intention to take the offer Seishi had granted him earlier. Well, then, it was his own fault. "You know, Sayuri, I wanted to ask you something. It's about this weekend." While Seishi was saying this, Itachi became very unsettled. The inner fight he carried out could be read in his eyes like an open book. Before Seishi could go on with his question, there was a winner. "Sayuri! Actually.. I.. I wanted.." Oh my how cute, Itachi was blushing and damn nervous. Seishi thought it was a pity that he always had to play with dirty tricks to manipulate Itachi into doing what he wanted and what was best. But it worked after all, so it was just fine.

"Itachi?" Sayuri was completely confused now. Itachi shook his head to gather himself, took a deep breath and started anew, back to his usual self. "There is this festival this weekend, you know. I don't really like this kind of stuff, but if you want to go I wouldn't mind accompanying you." Seishi hit his forehead with his palm. Itachi still had a lot to learn. Like.. A LOT. Sayuri looked at him startled for a few seconds until she got it. "Are you asking me.. for a date?", she asked disbelieving, her face slowly got some color. "If you like to..?" It was really embarrassing even for Seishi who was just watching. Was it so hard to ask a girl out directly? "O-of course! I'd love to." Sayuri's face was bright red and her eyes were huge. She was obviously trying hard to suppress the urge to jump around in circles while singing. "Re-really?" Her clumsiness was infective and Itachi was back to were he started. "Then I.. I fetch you I guess?" Sayuri was all smiles. It gave Seishi a little twitch in his heart. She nodded heavily and for a few seconds those two were completely in their own world, smiling at each other, totally forgetting everything around them. Seishi's eyes became small and sad. But he wasn't the only one. He and Ayame exchanged a glance which said more than thousand words. After a while Sayuri realized that she was actually in a hurry and went. Itachi nodded thankfully towards Seishi and left after her. Seishi stayed behind and sat down with a sigh in front of the counter. "Sake please!" Ayame's father raised a brow and looked at him annoyed. "How often have you already asked for sake, boy?" Seishi shrugged. "Don't know, don't count." Teuchi-san squinted his eyes. "And how often have you already got one?" Seishi shrugged again. "Don't know, don't count." Ayame hid her face in her palms. "Oh, I can help you there! I did count. NOT EVEN ONCE! And that won't change until you're twenty, got that?!" Seishi sighed and started drawing circles on the counter with his fingertips while staring in the air. When her father was gone for a while to look after the supplies, Ayame took her chance. "Are you alright?" Seishi looked at her like she had made some bad joke. "Are you?" Ayame bit on her lips. "Well.." "You see? It's not that easy." Ayame sighed and nodded. True. "I'm just happy that's going to be settled once and for all. It's only tough as long as you keep your hopes up." Ayame stared at the ground. "I never had hopes to begin with." She has had a crush on Itachi since the very beginning. There wasn't a thing more obvious in the world. Though Itachi, that stupid, blind bastard of course never realized. And Sayuri didn't as well. Sayuri didn't realize anything at all. Two blind idiots finally finding each other. "Who knows? Maybe we're lucky and they mess up totally and are sick of each other for the rest of their lives." Ayame stared at him disbelieving. "That's not really what you want, right?" Seishi thought about it for a while, then shook his head. "Of course not. Everything's just fine.." "..just as long as they're happy", Ayame finished his sentence. "Exactly."

They stayed silent for a while. Finally Seishi laid his bill on the table and turned to go. Before he left he stopped a second and turned around once again. "What are you doing on the festival?" Ayame hadn't expected this question. "Ehm.. work, I guess.." "Your father makes you work at such a day?" She avoided looking at Seishi and bit on her lips seeming quite unsettled. "Well.. he said I could go.. if someone asks me out that is.." Seishi grinned instantly. "Is that so.." He stepped back in front of the counter and bowed a bit. "So, Ayame-chan, would you mind visiting the festival together?" She blushed immediately. It was nearly as cute as Sayuri when she blushed. "Ehm.. I'd love to.. I guess.. but..", she stopped for a second. Her eyes got askance. "What are you up to?" Seishi simply smiled at her nearly evil. "Nothing at all."

* * *

_Yes that's it for today :) Thank you for reading :D_

_I won't tell you when the next chapter comes out because in the end I won't make it anyway^^_

_Just some time before Christmas :)_

_So there aren't much possibilities anyway.. _

_Well.. See you next time :)_


	35. The unintended doubledate

_I. will. Never. Ever. Promise. Anything. Ever. Again._

_I know what I told you last time and I know even better that I couldn't keep it at all^^ _

_I'm so sorry -.- I really tried to but.. ah I don't know it's just futile_

_But I'm so glad I was able to finish this today.._

_So I hope you all had nice holidays and a beautiful christmas and now I am able to wish you a happy new year! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! :D_

* * *

_**The unintended Doubledate**_

It was a hot, sunny late afternoon in Konoha when the streets started to get busier and the clamor rose. The summer festival was only very small compared to those in bigger cities, but it dragged nearly every villager out of his house to visit it. It was a welcome chance to relax in this troublesome life of a Ninja. And of course, for the young ones, it was a welcome chance to spend some romantic time with someone special. Even though this might be not the main intension that Seishi had when he asked Ayame out.

He picked her up in front of the noodle store, which was decorated with colored paper lanterns to fit in the picture of the traditional styled booths. "You look gorgeous, my dear." Ayame appeared with pinned up hair and a light blue Yukata with a pink Sakura pattern. She raised her eyebrow. "Spare me. What do you want?" Seishi, wearing a white Yukata with gray petals, looked shocked. "What do you mean? I asked you out, did you forget? And I'm serious! You look great." She still wasn't quite convinced. "You just need me as an excuse to stalk on Sayuri and Itachi!" Seishi sighed. "Well that's only one side. I asked you out for a date and so it's my duty to make you having fun." He smiled at her and grabbed her hand without another word, dragging her along. She complained a bit at first, but finally gave in. She had no other choice anyway. "So, you know where we find them?" Seishi was confident as ever. "Of course I know. I have some secret ways to gain information", he said with a wink. He didn't mention that his 'secret way to gain information' was that he had simply asked Sayuri before. She had been so nervous and confused that she blabbered out the whole plan without giving it a thought first whether that really was a good idea. Well, it wasn't of course. If she had just known what she had brought herself into.

They didn't get really far until they bumped right into the pair they were looking for. The two where standing in front of a teahouse, Sayuri in a white and Itachi in a black Yukata. They were smiling at each other and had a strangely calm face regarding the fact that Sayuri nearly died of excitement.

"What the..? They shouldn't be here. And they shouldn't look like that." Ayame shrugged. "Maybe they changed plans. And they look nice together, I don't know what you mean."

Seishi was skeptically. Could that really be happening? That went just too good to be true. "Ok, anyway, after them!"

Sayuri kept walking back and forth in front of the door. Her heart was jumping along. She had spent the last 3 hours to dress up and make up and all that stuff and now she was ready far too early and got more nervous with every second she waited. Finally it knocked and she was flashed by a lightning. She opened the door with shaking hands and Itachi was standing in front of it, just as obviously nervous as she was. "Hey", she mumbled. He nodded looking really stiff. How should this work out if both of them weren't even able to speak properly? Sayuri gave Seishi all the fault. Why did he have to come over earlier and talk about it? And why did he have to bring THAT up? Ever since then she felt even worse than before. "You.. you look great." She, too, had her hair pinned up and on her white Yukata were faint silver glinting lilies while Itachi had blood red petals on his black Yukata and wore his hair loose. "Thank you.." Neither of them knew what to say. "So.. where did we want to go..?" Sayuri knew she had just told it Seishi a bit earlier but she had completely forgot. Her head was in a haze. "Ehm..", Itachi thought about it for a while, but he couldn't recall as well. They were simply far too nervous. It couldn't possibly go on like that. They had to do something to calm down a bit. While he thought that he opened his mouth and simply spit out the first thing coming to his mind. "Do you want to get some tea?" It took Sayuri a few moments to react, but then she agreed. Tea maybe was the best start to calm down a bit and get a proper heart frequency. Even though she couldn't think about any tea with that much power to relax those two. In the next teahouse nearby they quickly got a seat and stared at each other. Both were desperately trying to find a topic, to find something where they could talk about like normal people but it was futile. So they stayed in the almost unbearable silence until finally a waiter appeared. That waiter looked pretty strange. He had long, tied up hair covered by a headband, ragged up clothes and huge bags beneath his glassy eyes. "Sooo.. what can I bring the two of you?" His voice was low and hoarse and he spoke in a pretty lethargic way. Sayuri and Itachi were absolutely overextended by this question and stared at each other inquiring. "Tea?" That was all Itachi managed to say. The guy looked at him disbelieving. "Do you know how many kinds of tea we have here? Wait.." He examined them. "You two are on a date right?" They blushed. "Oh no.. it's your first date, isn't it?" They blushed even more so it looked like someone placed a tomato on Yukatas. The waiter rolled his eyes even though they looked like they would pop out if he just dared to move them a little. "I guess I have just the right stuff for you." He left and after only few confused gazes Sayuri and Itachi exchanged he returned with two cups. They stared at the faint green liquid in their cups, slowly getting darker, sceptically. Neither of them had ever seen such a tea before. But they didn't care and drank it anyway. After few minutes they felt like their hearts stopped racing and their nervousness slowly vanished. It was very strange and couldn't be that normal but they just couldn't bring themselves to care about that or to give that tea a second thought. Though the waiter nodded approvingly as he cashed up a really unusually high price for some simple tea, they didn't wonder about it at all. But instead they smiled at each other for quite a while and finally started with some trivia conversation. Like the weather and stuff like that. They stood like this in front of the teahouse for quite a while until they noticed that they've become pretty hungry and went to buy some snacks.

Seishi and Ayame were close to their heels. Always having an eye on their loving birds, they acted like an ordinary couple on a date. In the end, it must have been pretty frustrating for an ordinary girl like Ayame to go out with a genius Shinobi like Seishi. He ripped her off in anything possible, was it catching goldfishes with paper nets or anything other. The more depressed she got about it, the more Seishi laughed, pat on her head and gave her some huge stuffed animal he had just won. She couldn't deny that he really knew how to deal with girls and he had some irresistible aura.

But surely this wasn't surprising as everyone knew his history with girls and that he had more experience in this stuff than most guys five years older.

"They're leaving.." Seishi looked in a completely different direction, but he knew anyway. Ayame was wondering if that was what's called abusing your powers. "I wonder why.. and where they are going to.." He looked disturbed and thoughtful. "This all seemed pretty strange from the very beginning. Why are they so calm even though they've nearly died of nervousness before? And why are they sneaking from the festival?" Well, it wasn't really sneaking, but Ayame had to admit that Seishi had a point there. "What do you think..?" She wasn't sure whether she even wanted to know. "What if.. we missed the whole part and they've already confessed and are together now? And now.. now they're off to do.. what couples do." Ayame was shocked. She actually was believing it. "You mean.. what are we supposed to do now? Going home?" Seishi's eyes got stern. "Are you nuts? We're following them of course!" Said and done. Before Ayame could refuse in any way Seishi had already grabbed her hand once again and dragged her towards the woods where Itachi and Sayuri had disappeared in.

"We have to be careful.. it would be really bad if they found us here." Seishi rushed through the trees, quickly and smoothly without a single sound. Ayame watched him and gulped. How was she supposed to follow him? She made a single step and simultaneously a branchcracked beneath her foot. In a blink of an eye later Seishi was standing in front of her, a hand on her mouth. "What are you doing?", he hissed. "I thought I told you we couldn't make any sound." Ayame looked at him irritated until he got it. "Oh.. I guess that won't work.." He thought about it for another second before he turned around and went down on his knees. "Step up." Ayame winked confused. "Are you sure?" Seishi nodded and gave her another, impatient gaze. If he was just half the motivated in his missions as he was here. Seeing she had no other choice, she crawledon his back. The trees blurred before her eyes as they flew through them and in mere seconds they've caught up with the two standing on an old wooden bridge across the Nagano river. They hid behind bushes and watched carefully what was happening between those two.

"Finally!" Itachi sighed and rolled his eyes. "I told you I wasn't good with such things.." he looked like his nerves were on edge. "I know what you mean.. people.. noise.. just too much.. I had to get out of that." Sayuri, too, looked like death warmed over. Itachi nodded. "I'm sorry I dragged you into that.." Sayuri shook her head and smiled. "No, it was really nice, I enjoyed it." Itachi blushed and turned away. "Ehm.. yeah.. but.. where are we now?" He looked around. There was nothing but trees and the river. Sayuri shrugged. "We really wanted so badly to leave that festival that we ran aimless into the woods.." But still there was something strange. This place had something nostalgic. Itachi realized it to. "You know.. it may sounds strange, but I feel like I know this place. Even though I can't recall that I've ever been here." Sayuri said nothing. She stepped to the handrail and looked in the sky. "Do you think we can see the firework from here?" Itachi didn't know whether he should be glad or not that Sayuri completely ignored what he had been saying. "Could be.. I don't know.." He was confused. Firework? Only the two of them? Now that he looked around it had gotten pretty dark. What should he do with this atmosphere?

"Itachi.. can I ask you something?" Sayuri's voice had suddenly become low. "Will you leave us?" Itachi's eyes widened. He bit on his lips. "How..?" "My brother heard rumors." She interrupt him. "And Seishi was behaving suspiciously recently." Itachi sighed. There was no way to talk himself out of this. "Do you even want me to stay after everything.." "YES!" Once again Sayuri interrupted him. She turned around and looked at him determined, her eyes red with tiny tears in the edges. Itachi blushed once again. He hadn't expected this reaction. "No matter what has happened..", she sobbed, "for every time you've been mean to me, there are ten times you've been nice. Just how many times have you already saved my life? I couldn't take it.. if you were.." She couldn't go on, her voice was shaking. Itachi stared at the ground. "I just can give this back to you. I can't count just how often you've saved my life yet. I.. I know I talk some strange crap today but.. I felt like we've been connected from the very beginning." As he was saying these words, Sayuri broke down on her knees. She held her hands at her head. "You know.. I remember pretty much everything in my life up until now.. even things when I was a small kid. But there is a whole in my memory. Something, I can't recall no matter how hard I try. It's when I was four years old.. on the day Konoha was attacked." Itachi couldn't breathe. He knew that feeling just to well. "But know.. I kinda feel like the fog is clearing up." Itachi stared in the air as his head started to ache. "I had a fight with my father.. it was about.. my mother I guess. I couldn't take it anymore and ran off. I wanted to search my mother. I took my Kimono because I thought that if she saw what a nice and lovely girl I was she would return." She smiled at the thought how naïve she had been. Itachi winked. The stronger his headache became, the clearer his lost memories became. "I.. I know what you're talking about.. I have the same hole in my memories that day, but.. I feel like they return now. Yes.. I.. I was with my nanny that day. She wanted to evacuate with me, but we didn't manage it. We've been attacked by some guys. She's been killed. And I've.. I've managed to escape with a knife in my shoulder." Their eyes met. And in an instant they both knew that they were on the track of something. Sayuri went on. "I didn't come pretty far. I got lost in the forest. And while I was running through the woods I've been attacked by some people. I don't know who they were.. but.. they called me monster and tried to kill me. They said my father and my brother would be next so.. I snapped. And the next thing I knew is that I was bathed in blood and the foes were dead. Disorientated I went on. I had no idea what to do.. no idea how I should live on like that. And then I got to a river." She stopped. Her face was in tears. Itachi couldn't comfort her now. He felt bad enough himself now. "I ran through the streets. They've been covered by bodies and blood. I had no strength left, no hope, all I could do was running on, ignoring the pain. And suddenly I came to the woods, to a clearance and a river with a bridge across it. I stepped on it and collapsed.. and saw a girl in front of me, with silver hair and a white kimono stained with blood." They both knew what this would be coming to, but they just couldn't stop. Sayuri was able to talk again. "I stepped on that bridge and there was a boy on his knees. He was injured and looked like he would die every second. He had a knife in his shoulder and suddenly he took it and dragged it out. He lost lots of blood and.. and became unconscious. I.. I didn't know what to do." She skipped something. Itachi knew it. But he didn't need that part as he knew what has happened anyway. "I woke up on that bridge, my injures were healed, the pain was gone. And at its place there was that girl again right in front of me. She cried." Sayuri panted for air. "I was devastated. And that guy looked at me with such kind eyes. And he took me in his arms and comforted me. My heart was put at ease." Itachi was unsettled. His eyes wandered from Sayuri to the ground, to the river, to the sky. "You saved my life back then. Just one more time on that list." Sayuri smiled. The headache was finally gone, for both of them. "No.. no you saved my life." Itachi was confused. "That day I was about to believe it. That I'm a monster. I can do nothing but killing. I have no right to live. I believed that this day. But then I met you and I realized that this wasn't all. My powers can not only kill, they can save lives. And for that sake I decided to live on. You gave me hope." Itachi looked at her without any words left. He just wanted to take her in his arms, but he knew it wasn't the right time yet. "But why..? Why did we loose our memories? And why did we get them back right now? And why only to that point? What happened after that? I can't recall.." Sayuri shook her head. She couldn't either. And she didn't understand more than he did. Yet, Itachi couldn't deny himself a smile. "Funny.. I had such a feeling since school. We're connected after all." Sayuri stood up and shook her head. Her eyes were burning with fire. "That's not all! I feel the same way, but.. that's not everything. There's more! And now that I've got my memories back I.. I feel it even more." Her head was bright red. "Itachi, ever since that day so many years ago, I.. I.." "I love you." Sayuri forgot to breath when she heard the words she just wanted to say. But not out of her own mouth. Her heart beat faster and her head got dizzy. "That's what I just wanted to say." Itachi was coming closer and smiled at her, a smile she saw so rarely but loved like crazy. "I know", he said and they were standing in front of each other, right at the point where had stood a few years ago when they fell in love into each other as small, innocent kids. Their eyes locked as they got closer, the lips only inches away. Just a moment before they met, they were disturbed by a loud noise far away. The sky burned with fire in all colors. It looked like flowers were blooming in the black skies. Sayuri and Itachi looked at it for a moment, only a moment, before Itachi put his hand on her cheek and dragged her towards him, where their lips finally met and they kissed. And suddenly the firework was completely uninteresting as there were flowers blooming in their hearts. Hearts beating as loudly as never before.

But what they didn't know was, that in this moment, their hearts weren't the only ones beating fast as never before. Two other hearts were out of tune, only few meters away, though they didn't know themselves if the reason was the pain or the happiness they felt.

* * *

_So I was waiting for this chapter for so long^^ I really wanted to write that part ever since I started like.. years ago? How time flies_

_Thank you very much my dear readers for your loyalty in all this time I really couldn't do this without you :)_

_So for the new year I'll try my best to get my time managed better, to study and have time for my hobbies none the less so I really hope you keep reading this even though I'm such a snail.._

_See you next year ;)_


	36. A new direction

_Hello everyone and thank you for being here again :)_

_I somehow made it through my exams and am full of motivation :D_

_I suppose.. anyway thank you very much again for your patience and loyalty_

_I'm doing my best here to update more and improve my story but it's just no good.._

_Well, thank you very much for every single nice and helpful comment, they really mean a lot to me and help me out very much :)_

_So please enjoy this chapter and tell me your opinion if you feel like it_

* * *

**A new direction**

The discussion seemed to be never ending. Voices, higher and lower, were risen and broken down again and again in an continuation of endless loops. In the conference room of Konoha was running the longest selection of new Chuunin ever, at least that was what most of the attendants felt like. And that even though most of the examinees had long been decided over and the issue was reduced to the only three last Genin.

"I don't even get what this fuss is all about! She burned the arena down! That's enough prove for me that she isn't fit to become a Chuunin."

"You sure got a point there, but.. she had the power to burn the arena down without even forming signs. I mean.. that's not quite the powerlevel of a Genin."

"She's strong, yes, but she can't control herself."

The same words, the same reasonings over and over again. Everyone was determined, but everyone was hesitant as well.

"Same with the guys. They've went pretty overboard and nearly killed each other And they're only kids."

"But those fights were stunning. It's rare to see such young guys fight that well. There are a lot Chuunin in our rows who'd had a really hard time against them."

"I just have the feeling they aren't mature enough to.."

"Well, for their age I'd say they're pretty.."

"Would you please not interrupt me?!"

"Speak for yourself! I just wanted to say I know Jonin less mature."

"What are you implying there?!"

And they started to scream again, topic long forgotten. The Hokage was sitting at the end of the table and watched. He hadn't said a thing up until now. He just smiled and enjoyed the show.

Finally the examiners calmed down again and one of them sighed.

"The question we have to ask ourselves is: Can we really afford to let those three be running wild without teachers to control them and even leave Genin in their care?"

* * *

Seishi was standing in front of the door for quite a while now. His heart was racing as he raised his hand to knock, but he hesitated once again. Should he really go in there? No, he had made a decision and he would see it through, no matter what. With new resolve he took a deep breath, ready to knock. But before his fist reached the wooden door, he was interrupted by an annoyed sigh.

"How long are you going to stand there? Come in already!"

An intimidating female voice shouted at him from the other side of the door. Seishi flinched. Now he had no other choice anyway. He slowly opened the door and peered in the room without daring to enter.

"Excuse me for intrud-"

"Come in I said!"

Tsunade-hime looked at him pissed and shook her head in disbelief. "What do you want here?"

Seishi flinched and entered the room reluctantly.

"I'm really sorry for bothering you, but.." Tsunade raised an eyebrow and looked at him sceptically.

"What's wrong with you? Since when are you so shy? Just state what you want like a man."

Seishi flinched again and stared at the floor beneath his feet. He was feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed. He shook his head and took all his courage together to at least answer without loosing his face completely.

"I'm hesitant today, because I'm here to do something I usually wouldn't even think about. I'm here to beg. I'm here to ask you for a chance that I've already messed up and I know it's pathetic to beg for second chances but.."

Biting his tongue, he threw himself on his knees and bowed before Tsunade as deeply as he could.

"I beg you. Even though I'm not worthy and I've already been rejected once.. please make me your pupil."

Tsunade, who had been sitting at her desk up until now, stood up and walked in front of him.  
"Stand up and look at me!", she hissed.

Seishi's body was slightly shaking as he did what he was told. He was prepared to be shouted at, spitted at or being thrown out in one hit. He'd just come back over and over again. And thinking this he exchanged looks with her, as fierce and determined as ever. Tsunade glared at him straight-faced.

"What was our deal? You remember?"

Seishi, too, wasn't about to give in.

"Of course I do. You told me you would teach me if I won the tournament. And I messed up. That's why I know it's disrespectful and stubborn of me to come back here and ask you once again. But I really want to be trained by you, and I really want to become a medic. That's why I will return here no matter how often you reject me."

Tsunade's eyes became smaller and she was even scarier when she looked that angry.

With a mere "you're a naughty one" she punched Seishi on his head so he was instantly thrown on the floor, his head crushed against the parquet.

"I get this often." He raised his head and spit wooden splinters out of his mouth. Tsunade went back to her desk as she was laughing derisively. She sat on her chair and looked down at Seishi, who didn't dare to stand up fearing he'd be just punched down again.

"You're too young to make such jokes. I won't accept things like that. As my pupil you have to behave. And as my pupil I won't accept any more failures and any more back downs. You've got that?"

Seishi's eyes gaped. His mouth flapped open and a few more, bloody splinters fell out. He blinked and shook his head, still lying on his belly with spread limbs. "What?", he asked disbelieving.

"You've heart what I said. So now go out and come back here tomorrow, punctually at 6 am. I won't tolerate any second of delay. Got that?"

In a blink of an eye Seishi was standing straight again, bowed and nodded. "Yes, Ma'am!" He turned to go but stopped shortly. "But.. why the change of mind if I may ask..?" He was back to the insecure child once again.

"Well, don't think I'd like you or something like that. It's just that I'd be nuts, denying the most talented and motivated trainee I had in a while the best education he can get." Her eyes told him that he wouldn't hear another word from her today. So Seishi just grinned slightly and nodded, bowed and whispered a "thank you" and left the room.

* * *

Just when the door clunked shut, Shizune, who had been standing the whole time at the wall of the room, intimidated clinging to the little pig in her arms, dared to talk again. "Tsunade-sama.. don't you think you've been a little too harsh on him..?"

Every time her teacher behaved like that, she got the chills. Tsunade glared at her.

"Why do you think that?"

Shizune flinched and tried to choose her words wisely in order to not make her angrier than she was anyway.

"Ehm.. because.. you were planning to teach him all along, am I not right?"

Tsunade shrugged and looked out of the window.

"Let this be a lesson to you. He's just a child I know, but he's also a man. And you never should give a man easily what he wants. You have to let him fight a little, to bring himself to do something his pride wouldn't usually allow him to. Just to see how much he really wants it and also to make it even more precious to him once he got it."

She sighed. "But he should have just won the tournament in the first place. That would have made it easier for both of us."

Shizune snickered, obviously delighted. "But Tsunade-sama, it's actually you're fault he lost, isn't it?"

Tsunade's gaze got darker once again. "What do you mean by that?"

Shizune didn't seem to have recognized the change of air and went on cheerful as before. "Well, because you bet on -" The killing glare shut her up and her face went blue as Tsunade stood up and walked towards her.

* * *

Just when the door clunked shut, Seishi's indifferent facade fell apart and gave way to a broad smile. He made a victory pose and danced his victory dance in the hallway of the hospital, where Tsunade's office was. The patients and nurses running around looked at him startled, but he didn't care and danced the whole way out to the main entrance and out of the door. The moment he had stepped on non-hospital ground he screamed as loud as he could.

"WOOOOHOOOOO!" as he jumped up and down and around and bumped right into a confused, yet well-known face.

"What the f-..?!" Itachi laid on the ground with the lively Seishi sitting on him. "You?! Why are you running out of an hospital all smiles? Did they find a cure against AIDS?" Seishi stared at Itachi with huge eyes. "Wooow, Itachi. I hate to tell you that, but.. there's something ultimately wrong with your humor.." He blinked a little shocked for another few seconds, then smiled again and stood up.

"But I don't care~", he sang while pirouetting, "~because I'm haaaaappy!"

Itachi shook his head and tried to convince himself that he was dreaming.

"Ok.. I suppose I will regret it later but.. what happened?"

It seemed to be unthinkable for Seishi to stop grinning and stay still for a while. "Hihihi", Seishi snickered that it gave Itachi the creeps and he felt his skin crawling.

"Well I guess, I can tell you that finally."

He stood straight and made a solemn face while he waited for Itachi to stand up and get the dirt from his clothes.

"Before the tournament I went to Tsunade and asked her to make me a medic nin. She told me she wouldn't just take anyone coming to her. So I wanted to prove her that I'm not just anyone, but the best she can possibly get. We made a deal, that if I won the tournament, she'd make me her personal pupil. But well, you know best that I failed. But I refused to give up and came here again today to ask for a second chance. And.."  
The grin returned even broader than before. "...I got it! I GOT IT! Starting tomorrow I'll lern medical Ninjutsu!"

He started to jump and dance in circles again, shining like the sun. Itachi had listened to him silently. He looked thoughtful.

"I've heard the first time of that now. Since when do you think about that? And.. why?"

Seishi's eyes went dark all of a sudden. He stared into thin air and hesitated to answer for a while.

"Well.. to be honest, for quite a while now. I guess.. for two years."

Itachi started to get a bad feeling about it, he felt a pinch in his stomach. "You mean..?"

He didn't dare to finish his sentence, but he didn't have to anyway. Seishi did it for him.

"Yes. I will never forget that day two years ago. When you carried the unconscious and badly hurt Sayuri back to the vilage we stayed in and collapsed at the entrance. There was blood everywhere, your body was like Swiss cheese.

I tried everything I could think of to help you, but I couldn't do anything until we brought you back to Konoha and Tsunade took you in. Everyone was screaming in panic, it was all so hectically and I could read in the faces of the medics that no one believed you would survive this. And all I could do was staying behind and pray. And I was so devastated, I thought I'd lose everything I loved just once again. You can't imagine how delighted I was when Sayuri finally woke up. And then you. Since that day Tsunade-sama was like a god to me, able to bring the dead back to life. I don't want to go through this once again. I will protect you by all means."

Itachi had no idea what to say. They had never really talked about that incident two years ago and about Seishi's feelings towards that. It must have been horrible for him.

"I thought it would be enough if I grew stronger in order to protect you. But it wasn't. No matter how strong we become, there will always be some guys out there even stronger. Guys who are able to kill us in seconds with ease. I realized that in the second part of the exams. When those guys attacked us, I was down in an instant and had to be saved by Sayuri. And because I was so useless, Sayuri had to reveal her true identity which led in a huge mess for her. In the end it was all my fault for being so weak that it came to this. I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry. But I won't let myself be saved again. This time I will be the one who'll save everyone."

Itachi was clenching his fists. He wasn't sure whether to be moved by Seishi's words or be worried.

"It wasn't your fault. Seishi.. it was all my fault for acting this way towards her. And.. I'm happy that you think that way.. I guess.. but, before you decide something like that you should hear something first. About me and Sayuri.. we are.."

Seishi smiled. It was a neither happy nor sad smile. It was just creepy.

"I know about that, Itachi. And I don't care. No, I'd say I'm happy for you. You deserved that after all you've gone through. It's the right thing to happen, I'm sure of it. But it doesn't change my attitude towards you."

He walked towards Itachi and their eyes met. Seishi had never had such a determined look on his face.

"I love you. Both of you. You're everything I have in my life. You're everything I live for. And no matter what happens between us, you won't get rid of me that easily. No matter what you do, no matter where you go, I will follow you to the end of the world. And I will protect you whenever you're attacked. I will save you no matter what situation you're in. I promise.."

And then, suddenly, his smile changed once again. Now a calm, yes nearly enlightened smile. He turned around, held his face against the sun, so his slightly tanned skin shone nearly godlike and he opened his arms.

"I promise you, starting today I won't let neither of you die. Starting today, I will promise you, you.. no.. we.. we will be immortal. And we will raise to the top of the world with no one to stand a chance against us."

* * *

Tsunade was standing at the window of her office and looked down at the street in front of the hospital. She watched her new pupil, being hugged by his friend and listened to his words.

"You better keep that promise", he said.

She bit on her lips vibrating in anger. She couldn't believe what she just had heard.

"That guy..", she started, "isn't fit in the slightest to become a medic. I knew this all along. He has no idea of the principles we medics have, our priorities. He's selfish. And he's born do destroy and not heal. How can he make promises he can't possibly keep?! That's the least thing a medic should do. I don't know what I'm thinking teaching him."  
It sounded more like she scolded herself but Seishi. Shizune looked at her master worried.

"But.. the same goes for you right? You already promised.."

Tsunade glared at her. "I know that!", she shouted.

"I had a bad feeling ever until _he_ asked me to do that. It was less a demand than an order. If I just knew.."

She sighed and her eyes became worried, too, as she looked at the two guys outside.

"If I just knew what the old man is up to."

* * *

Back to the conference room the clamor had wound down finally and the imminent decision was heavily weighing on the atmosphere. All it needed was someone to take the courage and speak it out. Just as someone finally opened his mouth, he was interrupted by another one.

"In my opinion.." All eyes in the room gaped simultaneously and locked on the Hokage, who was taking the word for the first time in this discussion.

"In my opinion, the issue is, whether we can take the responsibility for a Jonin to hold control over three Genin with this tremendous powers and expect them to estimate and utilize their capabilities wisely and, of course, without endangering their surroundings and the reputation of our village. And furthermore, whether we can afford to keep those three talented and promising children with great potential down on a level not appropriate for them and deny them to develop and be of greater use to their beloved home."

* * *

_Thank you very much for reading :)_

_I hope you enjoyed it and keep waiting for the next chapter_

_I'll do my best so see you then!_


	37. Finally Chuunin

_Hello everyone and thank you for reading this chapter :D_

_I realize that this story keeps stretching and stretching and there aren't many people who actually read it, but I'll still do my best to see it through to the end and if it's only for a handful of readers and my own pleasure^^_

_I decided to start a few new projects anyway, but of course I'll still update here as regularly as I possibly can :D_

* * *

**Finally Chuunin**

The fine white paper was carefully unfolded by thin, trembling fingers. They stroke slowly across the black ink on it and flinched at the words written and their meaning. The sharp edge cut itself deep in the flesh and the white paper with the black ink slowly turned deep red as it floated to the floor.

Nearly a month after the catastrophic ending of the Chuunin examination tournament, the results of the long consultation had finally reached the participants, who had already long forgotten about it.

The more surprising it was for them when the letters found their ways to their homes.

Sayuri danced on the floor of Itachi's room and jumped around in excitement.

"I can't believe it! Itachi! We're both Chuunin now!"

Itachi stared disbelieving at the document in his hands and wondered if he was dreaming. Was this really happening?

He glanced at his girlfriend and stared at the red stain on her white dress.

"You're bleeding!"

She stopped dancing and looked startled at her hand when Itachi grabbed it and put bandages around it.

"Oh.. I guess I cut it when I read the letter."

Itachi shook his head.  
"Take better care of yourself.."

Sayuri looked at the ground and muttered an excuse as Itachi wrapped his arms around her.  
"I still need you..", he whispered.

Her face went red as the stain on her dress.  
Their eyes met.

Their lips, too.

Could it really be that life was suddenly running smoothly?

In these moments they embraced and kissed each other, they got the feeling they would be able to leave all the bad things behind.

Maybe they would be able to finally walk into a brighter future, hand in hand.

* * *

The curtains to the Ramen store were ripped open and Seishi stormed into the place breathing heavily.

"You won't believe what happened!"

He had obviously lost his wind, which meant he had been running really fast here.

"Gosh, Seishi, what's up..?"

Ayame was confused and walked around the counter towards him.

"I can't actually believe it myself!"

He took a deep breath to calm down a bit and to prepare for the following.

"I passed the Chuunin exams! I'm a Chuunin now!"

Ayame's eyes widened in surprise.  
"Wow Seishi! That's awesome! I'm so happy for you!"

She hugged him gushily and smiled all over her face.

"Thank you! I just got the letter and came here as fast as I could! I wanted you to be the first to know."

"That's so cooool! Wait.. WHAT?!"

She suddenly realized what Seishi had been saying and freed herself from the hug quite emphatically.

"Why me?!"

Seishi froze. He let the last few words he had uttered running through his head while he turned red. Old Ichiraku watched his daughter and Seishi with narrowed eyes while slowly cleaning the kitchen knife in his hands.

She was right. Why her? Shouldn't he run to Itachi first, given the chance he hadn't passed, and rub his nose in it? Or maybe to Sayuri in hopes she would have been promoted, too?

He couldn't understand his own behavior anymore. What had been his motivation to come here first of all? What had he been thinking? The more he wondered about it, the more he realized that he hadn't been thinking at all. He had just acted.

"It's just because.. Sayuri and Itachi are only starting going out now and they need time to get used to everything so I just want to take some distance so I don't disturb them.. but I just wanted to tell anybody so.."

That was a lie. Any chance to disturb Sayuri and Itachi was more than welcome to him.

"So it's just anybody now?"

Ayame didn't seem to be too happy with this version either. Good thing Seishi had had his experiences with women and knew these kinds of situations.

These kinds of situations where anything you say is just fucking wrong. Seishi gulped.

"Eehhhm.. let's go shopping..?"

Well, of course except for this one thing.

Ayame's eyes became bigger once again and her mouth flapped open.

"Oh my god, for sure!"

In a flash she disappeared again behind the counter, threw her pinafore and hat off and stood right back next to Seishi.

"Sorry, Dad, you'll make it without me right?"

Ayame's poor father had smiled for a moment when his daughter had been mad, but now he was standing there absolutely dumbfounded and couldn't believe what was happening.

Seishi couldn't deny himself a triumphant grin, even though he hadn't planned it in the slightest, as he put his hand on Ayame's shoulder and conducted her away.

* * *

What the hell was he doing?! Was he really going on a date with Ayame? The one girl he had promised himself he would never touch?

Ok, now there was a second girl taboo for him, but that didn't change that he had told himself not to cross the limits of friendship when it came to Ayame.

But what was he thinking about? He was totally overreacting. They were just going shopping! It was no date at all.

He tried to bring order in his thoughts, to make those nasty doubts disappear, but the more he struggled, the more he caught himself staring at her. When she smiled and laughed and dressed up she looked so different than usually.

She was more than just the girl behind the counter.

"Seishi! Hey! Are you listening?"

Ayame glared at him, holding two dresses in her hands.

"Which one is better? This? Or that?"

Seishi shook his head to gather himself again. Just what was he thinking the whole time? This was ridiculous! He opened his mouth to answer her.

"They both don't fit a slut like you!"

Ok.. nope.. that was definitely not coming from him, but rather from a female voice he thought he knew from somewhere.

He turned around and his worries were confirmed. A blonde haired girl, maybe two or three years older than them, stood there evilly glaring. Of course, Seishi had been dating her some time ago, only once or twice. He didn't even remember her name, but she was obviously not too pleased to see him here with Ayame.

"Long time no see, Seishi!", she hissed.

Seishi would have loved to answer her, but, as already said, he just couldn't recall her name.

So he just made a step towards her and hissed back.

"Apologize to her!"

The girl flinched and took a step back.

"No way! Everybody knows what kind of guy you are by now! So any girl going out with you nonetheless is just a slut!"

Seishi felt the wrath dwelling up inside of him and climbing up to his head. He had half a mind to beat the shit out of her even though she was a girl.

"I told you to apologize! Say this one more time and I show you what a Chuunin is capable of!"

The girl's face went white and she bit on her lips. It was very rare for Seishi to behave like this, especially towards a girl, but he had lost control.

Ayame ran towards him.

"Seishi, stop it! It's alright! I don't care! So please calm down.."

She put her hands on his chest, afraid that he would run at the girl any moment now. As if she could have stopped him. But strangely enough, Seishi felt a calming energy flowing into him from her fingertips. Her touch made his anger being washed away and his head became dizzy in exchange.

"Let's just go, okay?"

She looked at him with worried eyes and suddenly Seishi's thoughts became completely empty. It felt like someone had pushed the reset button and now his emotions were all gone.

"Okay..", it was all he could whisper and Ayame dragged him away, leaving the confused girl behind.

She stopped in some corner of the street, looked around to make sure that the girl hadn't been following them and breathed in relief.

"Wooow, that was weird."

She forced herself to smile in order to cheer Seishi up who was behaving really strange.

"Phew.. that was some misunderstanding.. I guess she thought we were dating. Funny right?"

At the word dating Seishi slowly regained his consciousness.

"Yeah.. it seemed so."

He somehow started feeling really sick.

"Gosh, you really have some history.. everybody thinks we're going out even though we're just friends."

Seishi nodded and forced himself a smile, as well.

"Right. Really stupid.."

Ayame laughed a bit and then went to go. She said something about Rush Hour and her father needing help, but Seishi had long stopped listening.  
Why on earth had he felt such a strange twitch in his heart, when Ayame had said they were just friends? He didn't understand what this was all about. Could it be.. that he had feelings for Ayame?

He was knocking against his head, searching for a clear thought, but there weren't any.

If this really was the case, did that mean he was just shifting his feelings from Sayuri to Ayame because Sayuri had now an eternal Bro Code taboo? Just what kind of asshole does those things?

No, he was definitely imagining things, this had to be some overreaction on becoming Chuunin.

But no matter how much he resisted his feelings, he just couldn't get rid of the idea that he had just been friendzoned and that he definitely didn't like it.

* * *

"Kanpai!" Three glasses were crushed against each other and the dark fluid was rushing down the throats.  
"Are you kidding me?!"

With a mad expression Seishi put his glass on the table so hard it nearly broke.

"We've become Chuunin so why are we toasting on it with coke? I want sake! SAKE!"

He yelled through the restaurant, but only earned disturbed and pissed glares by it.

Sayuri and Itachi, too, exchanged a telling look.

"What's up with you today? Shouldn't you be a little more.. I don't know.. happy?"

When Itachi had went to Seishi's house to ask him about his results, he had found a picture of misery lying on the couch. To his surprise, Seishi had mumbled more to himself than to Itachi, that he had passed like it was the least important thing in the world.

Now they were strangely meeting to cheer him up a bit instead of celebrating.

"Nah.. I'm happy.. I'm fine."

What a lie. Itachi and Sayuri decided to just let him be.

"Anyway. I can't believe we all became Chuunin! Isn't that awesome? I wonder what kind of missions we will get now."

Sayuri already let her thoughts wander around. Yes, their Genin time was over now. No more babysitting, no more weeding, now it was getting tough! What was waiting for them now? They couldn't wait to find out.

And with these anticipation in their hearts, they raised there glasses one more time.

"Starting today our lives will never be the same again! Starting today everything will get only better, I'm sure of it! Kanpai!"

* * *

A hand wearing a black glove held a blood stained letter in his hand. A worried eye examined the words which were still readable. No one knew the expression behind the mask. Was it happy? Or was it filled with concerns and misgivings?

* * *

_pretty short chapter today, I know, but I'm busy busy busy as always ;)_

_See you next chapter :D_


	38. The mysterious plants

_Hello everyone :)_

_This chapter I wanted to try to be a little funnier again since the last.. felt 50 chapters were far too serious_

_But.. let's be honest.. my humor is really fucked up^^ Well, I hope you enjoy it anyway :D_

* * *

**The mysterious plants**

Konohagakure is a village in midst of a huge forest. There are trees everywhere, as wide as the human eyes can see. Even in Konoha, there are plenty of forests used as training grounds, some visited frequently, some not. The one or the other has been abandoned a long time ago, the reasons are numerous. One, for example, has been shut down as they had found a suspicious fellow residing in a little hut, who had seemed to be a passionate gardener as a hobby.

He was growing rare, mysterious plants in this forest. Plants, no one had ever seen before in Konoha, which had an interesting effect on the animals and people surrounding it, especially when it happened that one ore two plants were catching fire in the heat of a training battle.

As no one knew how to handle this matter, the guy had been driven away and the training ground had become prohibited area.

What no one in this naïve little village could have expected was, that this place had soon attracted mischievous youngsters who were up to no good.

* * *

"The food's here!"

Ayame opened the shabby wooden door reluctantly and leered in the room hesitantly.

"Yes! Finally! We're starving here! Ayame, you're a goddess."

Seishi ran towards her, ripped the bags she carried out of her hands and dragged her inside the room. She looked around and gulped.

It was a little, run down, wooden hut, which seemed to have had its last cleaning when it had been built. There was no furniture but bales of stray lying around and there was a strange smell in the air making Ayame feeling dizzy.

At the other end of the room, Itachi and Sayuri were sitting on some stray and welcomed her while reaching greedily for the food Seishi distributed.

"What is this place?! You know we don't usually do doorstep delivery, you're an exception anyway, but this is the first time I ended up in a hut in the midst of a forest!"

Ayame tried to get a reaction, an answer, an excuse, but her three friends ignored her completely as they were stuffing the food she had brought in their mouths with a quite unusual appetite.

"Are you listening to me?!"

She was becoming outraged and made herself ready to scream at them, when a small rest of a cigarette caught her attention.  
"You're still smoking? How often did I tell you to stop?!", she sighed.

They were all no more than 10 years old, still she felt like a mother of three hopeless teenagers.

"Wait.. this one is strange.. what kind of cigarette is that..?"

Seishi, Itachi and Sayuri flinched and exchanged nervous looks with the jaws still full of food.

"Ehm..", Seishi swallowed the food quickly and finally gave her his attention.

"..you wanted to know why we're in this hut right..? We had a mission here lately and found it. It's perfect! We can be here all alone and chill out and no one can find us and penetrate us. It's like our secret sanctuary, you see? And by the way.."

He glimpsed at the cigarette butt shortly and then back to Ayame.

"ehm.. it's comfortable."

He smiled at her broadly. Too broadly. They were definitely hiding something from her, she knew it. But only thinking about it caused her a headache. She decided that she didn't want to know anything.

"So you found this hut while you were on a mission and now you're using it as a hideout? In a prohibited area? Isn't this kind of.. abuse of your job?"

"God, Ayame..", Sayuri, too, had finished eating, "you sound like my brother!"

Itachi sighed. "...and my father.."

Seishi shrugged. "And the Hokage. Man, Ayame, you sound like old men!"

Ayame already regretted that she had come here. Now she was being insulted or what?

"You know if all these three, wise, experienced authority persons say that, there might be some truth to it!"

She shook her head. Why was she even trying to scold them? It was like talking to the stray they were sitting on.

"You've been promoted to Chuunin only one month ago and you've already gotten scolded by Hokage-sama?"

The three exchanged telling glances.

"Wait.. you can't be serious, more than once?"

They gulped, looked at each other, their faces slightly embarrassed.  
"More than twice?!"

"Well, three times up until now", Itachi finally admitted.

Ayame hid her face in her palms. Before her lips were even forming the words, she already knew that she was making a mistake.

"What did you do?"

* * *

In front of her eyes the three Chuunin took new places. Seishi was lying in the stray on the side, his hand supporting his head, one leg stretched out, the other one cocked, between his lips he had a cigarette.

Sayuri, too, was lying down, but on her back with her head using Itachi's lap as pillow.

Itachi was the only one who stayed more or less like he was before, with his hand now caressing Sayuri's silky hair.

They seemed to prepare themselves for a very long story.

"Well, it all started on our very first mission", Sayuri began, her eyes staring at the ceiling.

"Hokage-sama sent us to a land far in the North, really far in the North.. the Land of Snow. It was beautiful. Everything was white and sparkling, the snow was so soft and so much fun. We built snowmen and made a snowball fight it was soooo cool. Like really cool.. awfully cold.. but I could wear a huge thick coat with fur and it was so fluffy and warm and.."

Sayuri's eyes were huge as she talked about it, it was really cute, but Ayame had to interrupt her nonetheless.

"But you haven't been sent there for vacation, right? You must have had some kind of mission, did you not?"

Sayuri sighed and shrugged.

"Yeaaah, there was some oh-so-important guy who was being targeted by some suspicious organization and we had to protect him..."

When she said it like that, it sounded like it was totally irrelevant to the mission.

"And you did protect him, right..?"

Sayuri glimpsed at her indignantly.

"Of course we did! As good as we could! But.. yeah.. he kind of got kidnapped by that organization while we were out skiing.."

Her eyes were sparkling again.  
"It was so much fun! I'll never forget the cold wind in my face when we rushed down the mountains. I had ski and the boys were on snowboards. It really was great, you have to try it, too, Ayame! We've been so fast, but then Itachi lost control and.."

Now her head was getting red and she stared dreamily back at the ceiling.

"He couldn't slow down or dodge and totally crushed into me. Then we overturned a couple times and when we finally stopped, I've been lying on my back and Itachi bowed above me. Our eyes locked and it was such a hot moment, the snow around as nearly melted. And then he whispered an apology and bowed his head to ki-"

"Sayuri!" Itachi interrupted her, his face deep red. "You're telling unnecessary stuff."

Sayuri pulled a pouting face with thick, puffed up cheeks and mumbled something to herself.

"That's all fine, but..", Ayame's face was a little pink of embarrassment, as well, "..what happened to that guy you had to protect?"

Sayuri sighed again, as if she wanted to reproach Ayame asking about trivialities.

"Yeah, when we came back from the mountains, the whole village was furious and in panic. Talking about the end and stuff. It was bothersome, but we followed that organization to their hideout, beat them up and brought that guy back to his village. He wasn't really happy, though, and asked us where we had been the whole time. Nosy guy. Then he squealed on us to Hokage-sama who called us off immediately. Can you believe that? We couldn't even visit the world famous Onsen there! So mean!"

"Yeah, and they would've had a mixed bath there!", Seishi added sounding just as upset as Sayuri.

Ayame was speechless. She didn't really know what to answer. As she was working in a Ramen store in a pretty big Ninja village, she had heard a lot of Shinobi talking about their missions. But this was the first time she had heard something like _that. _

"B-but you realize that..", she wanted to go on with 'you've totally ignored your mission and Hokage-sama would have had all the right to degrade you again', but then she realized that... well they just didn't realize at all, so the question was unnecessary.

* * *

She just shook her head and asked for the next story. This time Seishi decided to be the narrator.

"The next mission we had was in the land of rice, in a small town there which is specialized on gambling."

And that was enough. Ayame already knew the end of the story, there was no need for explanations anymore.

"So let me guess: This time the guy you had to protect died a horrible death while you've been gaming away all his savings."

Seishi looked at her aghast.

"What the hell are you thinking?! Of course not! There was no guy to protect. We just had to collect some money from debtors of Konoha. And this money we doubled, no tripled! If that's enough.. we had a real run! Our camouflage was perfect! We transformed into some middle-aged guys and gambled the whole day! It was all perfect until.."

He gulped and looked away. His face was distorted in pain. Maybe regret?

"..until _SHE _came in.."

He stressed the _she _very strangely, with a whiff of respect and awe, but mostly plain fear.

"even though _she _was drunk, _she _saw through our disguise immediately. _She _hit us half dead and the worst is.. the worst is.."

He sobbed, the words so terrible they got stuck in his throat. He was no longer lying on the side, but on the belly now, his face hidden beneath his arms. Was he crying?

"_she _took all our hard earned money and gambled it away in less than an hour. All of it! We had to return to Konoha empty-handed. Hokage-sama was raging."

By now even Ayame could have guessed that the mysterious _she _was none other than Lady Tsunade herself, Seishi's new teacher and the woman with the worst luck in whole Konoha.

"What were you doing anyway, gambling with money that doesn't belong to you? Moreover, you're underage!"

Itachi and Sayuri looked at her like she was talking completely incoherent nonsense. Seishi still sobbed. Ayame was getting depressions in here.

They were way to careless and undisciplined for being chosen as Chuunin. Just what were those judges thinking? Ayame couldn't believe it. But if it was going on like this it wouldn't last long anyway.

* * *

"So and what was the third time?", she asked with a slightly pissed undertone and looked with a raised eyebrow at Itachi.

He seemed to be surprised that she was directing him as he looked a little startled and obviously uncomfortable under her gaze.

"Well Itachi, Sayuri had told the first story, Seishi the second, so it's your turn now!"

Itachi was everything else but thrilled. In the contrary, he was making a face like it was the cruelest and most embarrassing thing in the world what he was being asked for.

"Yeah, Itachi, she's right. And it's been mostly your fault, after all."

Seishi was slowly recovering from his short mental breakdown and looked now at Itachi with a mischievous grin on his lips.

Ayame couldn't really believe it, though. Although all three were obviously round the bend, Itachi was the one most mature here. Still, the reluctance in his eyes was telling something differently.

"Do I really have to..?"

He was desperately looking from Seishi to Sayuri and back, but neither of those two had mercy on him. He sighed when he finally gave in.

"A few days ago there was an ambassador from another village visiting Konoha. He was said to be a very bad drinker, who becomes very violent when he's drunk. Hokage-sama told us to look after him so he wouldn't harm anyone. So, of course, that guy went in a bar and we followed him.."

Ayame's jaw flapped open.

"You got yourself drunken and wreaked havoc?!"

Itachi's head sank at the opinion Ayame seemed to have of them.

"No! This time we wanted to do everything right, so we watched him and when he got drunk and started to brawl and insult the people around him we wanted to stop and calm him down.  
But he got furious, screamed at us and ran off. So we followed after him again and.."

Ayame's face suddenly lost color as her mouth was still wide open.

"You.. you killed him?", she asked in a whispering tone.

"Nooo..!"

Itachi didn't know whether he should be embarrassed or mad about the things Ayame was imputing to them. He didn't think that they gave her any reason to believe them to be so incompetent.

"For some reason that guy ran off here, in this prohibited training area. Maybe he thought we wouldn't follow him here. But we did and he slowly got on my nerves so I tried to stop him using Katon.."

"Oh my god! And you burnt him alive!"

"What the..?! Didn't I just say we didn't kill him?!"

What Itachi said made sense. At least the 'he got on my nerves'-part, since Itachi's nerves were obviously quite limited. Ayame flinched. She hadn't expected that he'd yell at her.

"I'm.. I'm sorry.."

She was pretty intimidated now.

"My plan was to block his way by burning some plants and of course it worked out as my accuracy is perfect and I _never_ miss a target!"

He was placing a lot of emphasis on this sentence.

"The problem was mostly that this stuff I set aflame were no usual plants... in few seconds everything was wrapped in smoke and that guy had stopped moving.."

Ayame just wanted to say something, but then she felt Itachi's glare on her and decided to wait until he was finished.

"We didn't dare to come any closer and watched from afar. That guy suddenly behaved totally strange. He was sitting there in the grass, grinning broadly with glassy eyes."

"It was sooo funny!", Seishi joined in, "That guy who was so violent before had suddenly turned into a cute, harmless, happy lamb talking nonsense."

Ayame couldn't really follow anymore.

"But why did you get scolded by Hokage-sama then?"

Her eyes were still resting on Itachi's pissed face.

"Some guys had come for us as reinforcement. They found us sitting there and laughing at that guy behaving like a three-years-old. Then they told Hokage-sama we've been doing experiments with unknown plants on humans. He wasn't that happy."

"After a few hours the effect of that smoke wore off and that guy's running around as fit as ever. That's why our punishment wasn't that hard", Seishi added while he was putting dry, green grass on a small stripe of white paper.

"Until now.."

Itachi's mood was on its minimum, his eyes were resting on Seishi's fingers.

"Ah, come on, Itachi, chill out."

Seishi was licking the white paper and rolled it so it looked like a cigarette. Then he held it towards Itachi and smiled at Ayame.

"He's all grumpy now, but you should see him, when he's the one who's all happy and peaceful."

Now Ayame had totally dropped out of the conversation. Itachi glared at Seishi, not showing any intension to take the weird cigarette.

"We really shouldn't do that, Seishi, who knows what this stuff does to you."

Seishi shrugged and put the cigarette between his lips.  
"I know what it does and I can't say I dislike it."

Ayame watched confused how flames emitted from Sayuri's fingers and lighted the cigarette.

"There are other ways to lift Itachi's spirits", she said sitting on Itachi's lap now.

* * *

While Seishi was looking in a different direction and taking a big draw on that.. whatever it was.. Sayuri's and Itachi's eyes were nearly melting into another, she bowed her head down towards him and they embraced each other in a passionate kiss.  
Ayame's face was high red. Strangely enough that sight barely hurt her but made her heart beat like she was watching some romance movie.

From one moment to the other the angriness in Itachi's eyes had turned to a hot fire burning of love. Those two were completely lost in each other and it was such a beautiful sight.

"You must excuse Itachi's impatience and rudeness", Seishi obviously tried hard to focus his eyes on Ayame and to blank out what he was seeing in the corner of his eye, "he has a hard time being patient with his brother."

Itachi looked up at Seishi and then to Ayame with a guilty expression in his face.

"Oh, Ayame.. I'm sorry if I was impolite earlier.."

Ayame shook her head to show him that it wasn't worth mentioning.

"What's with your brother?"

Itachi shrugged and looked away. Again not one of his favorite topics.  
"It's just.. he's getting a bit on my nerves lately. Always wanting to play with me and to train with me.. He's not even in school yet. He's supposed to enjoy his childhood before it's over."

It was well-known that in the Clans the children were trained very hard even before attending school so they'd surpass all the others from the very beginning. Itachi's eyes were clearly telling that that wasn't the fate he was wishing for his brother.

"So why don't you train with him just a bit? Only to please him?"

Itachi's gaze got dull as he bit his lips.

"I'm.. I'm afraid. I don't want to hurt him or to teach him something wrong. And I'm afraid that he'd think he has to emulate and surpass me and that he trains himself to ruin for this sake."

Ayame gulped. Itachi was knowing very well what Sasuke would have to face in the near future. The very same thing he had to go through. Itachi was always trying desperately to catch up to his cousin Shisui and soon Sasuke would try to catch up with him. The fate of the Uchiha so they'd become stronger and stronger with each generation.

Could it be that Itachi couldn't bear the thought that Sasuke would surpass him one day? Ayame didn't think so.

"You want him to be happy, right? You really love him."

Itachi said nothing. There was no need to. Everything was said.

* * *

"Sooo..", Ayame was feeling a little guilty because she had ruined the mood, "..will you tell me now what you're smoking in here or should I go and ask the Hokage?"

Six eyes gaped in shock and stared at her. Did she believe that she would cheer everyone up with that?

"I-It's nothing really!" Sayuri stuttered.

"Yeah.. just some grass overgrowing everything in this area.." Itachi didn't know what to say.

"Indeed! We've just been gardening a bit. Weeding. Yes, it's just weed. We're smoking some weed."

Ayame sighed and shook her head. Those guys were really hopeless. Who'd come up with the idea of smoking weed?

* * *

_So that's it this time, I hope you liked it :)_

_If you did leave a review or something, I'd really appreciate it :D_

_If you didn't, leave one as well ^^ I want to improve myself!_


	39. Halloween Special

_Happy Halloween everyone!_

_Since I haven't posted for 4 months (I'm so sorry -.-), here a little special to make up for it_

_Don't worry, I also have a real chapter, following right after :)_

_Oh.. and sorry for the german quotation marks.. I hope they don't bother you too much_

* * *

**Halloween Special**

Every year, when the nights get colder and darker, and the leaves are falling down the trees, there comes this day.

This one day every child in Konoha is waiting for in anticipation, because to them it's one of the best days of the year.

Every child? No. There is one child in Konoha, who hates this day more than everything else in the world, because it is the day his mother keeps confusing him for a doll she can dress up the most awkward way she can think of.

It's Halloween. And that child is called Itachi Uchiha.

To his luck, though, this year his mother has found herself a new victim. Itachi's younger brother Sasuke is just old enough to walk around the houses by himself. And of course that midget looked so much cuter in those weird stuff their mother sewed every year.

Itachi was already picturing himself, sitting at home in his room and throwing candy at the children knocking at their door. And he couldn't deny that he liked that picture.

Yet Itachi should have known, that the moment he was actually looking forward to something, it was to surely never occur.

Itachi was already lying in his bed as the sun slowly set and his mother left the house together with little Sasuke. He wore wretched clothes, his face was sickly gray and full of scars and wrinkles. Even as Zombie, Sasuke just looked awfully adorable, Itachi had to restrain his urge to jump down to him and cuddle him.

Maybe he had a little brother complex. But he didn't care.

This year he wouldn't have to go from house to house, supervised by his mother. He was so grateful for Sasuke's existence right now. Although he was only ten, he just felt too old for that. Actually he had always felt too old for something like that.

As he was still lying in his bed, content and happy, a new problem flew through his window. It was a beautiful young witch with a broomstick in her hands and a ridiculously huge hat on her head.

Her silver angelic hair hid half of her snow white face and made her look like a mysterious, demonic siren, who lured men close to her only that she could feast on them.

„What are you doing? It's Halloween! Where's your costume?", Sayuri's voice sounded shocked.

Itachi didn't remember that he said he would tag along with her on this day. Maybe she just took it for granted.

„Yeah Itachi, what are you doing?", a dog-like creature looked through the open window.

His hair was fuzzy, his face was full of dirt and he had artificial fangs in his mouth.

„It's trick or treat time!", Seishi shouted happily.

Now Itachi was sure that he had told neither of them he would go with them for trick or treat.

„You don't really believe I'd do something like that?", he said a little confused. Those guys should know him better. „Don't you think we're a little too old for such things?"

Sayuri and Seishi exchanged a disbelieving glance and shook their heads.

„Itachi, we're ten years old. No way we are too old for that."

Well, they got a point. Maybe Itachi should have said that they were too grown-up for that.

„Ohh come on Itachi! Let's go! Please please please please pleeeeaaaase!", Sayuri folded her hands and stared at him with big pleading eyes.

„Nope!", he answered harshly. He knew this trick by now and he wouldn't fall for it anymore.

„I still remember..", Seishi began in a melancholic tone. He was sitting on the window bank now.

„The years after my parents died, I was always looking forward to this day. It was the only day someone would ever give me sweets. I came by with the little money the Clan gave me, but.. candy was always a luxury for me. Halloween both made me sad and happy at the same time, because I knew it was only this one day in the year."

His eyes were sad and stared at the floor. Even though he was supposed to be a werewolf, with this face he looked like a poor little puppy.

„I was really..", he continued with a broken voice. It sounded like he would cry any second. „..really looking forward towards making a purely happy memory with you today.."

RRRRing!, the doorbell made. Itachi couldn't believe that he was standing there. How come he could easily brush off Sayuri's manipulating skills by now, but was completely helpless towards Seishi's? This was fucked up.

The moment he had let on only a bit of weakness, those two had already drawn him along. As he told them that he didn't even have a costume, they just grinned at him creepily and told him that everything was to be alright.

What the hell did they mean by that?

The first door they had decided to try opened slowly with a cracking noise and an older woman appeared, smiling at them broadly.

Itachi did his best to act like he should at his age, but it wasn't that easy for a full-fledged Shinobi.

„Trick or treat!", they shouted. Well, Sayuri and Seishi did. Itachi only moaned it.

„My, my. How nice, how nice! Let's see what we have here", that woman said in a high voice. She seemed to be one of those crazy mothers.

„Ahh, a little witch. Such a beautiful one. My you look ten years older than you actually are. Is this magic?", she laughed.

Well, she had a point there. Sayuri's dress was pretty tight and revealed perfectly her.. femininity. Itachi had to do his best not to look at her that obviously.

„And you are.. my a werewolf. Ouh, how dangerous. Please don't eat me, okay?", she snickered.

Woah, that was annoying. Good thing Itachi wasn't costumed at all. Maybe she was that disappointed that she chased them away and those two would have to see that they were wrong.

„Wow!", the woman yelled out when she took a closer look at Itachi. „That snow white skin.. the pitch black eyes, the bags beneath the eyes.. this is the best vampire costume I've seen so far!"

W-What?! Itachi couldn't believe what he just heard. Vampire?! Seriously, this was just the way he looked all the time.  
„And you're wearing your pajamas because it's still before midnight! Very clever! Very cute! I like that!"

She showered them with all kinds of candy and more praise and closed the door again.

„Youuu two...", Itachi's voice was trembling in anger.

But no matter how much he glared, no matter how many evil curses he whispered threatening, he just couldn't stop those two from laughing.


	40. The spark is ignited

_Hello my beloved readers_

_It's been a glorious 4 months since my last update.. I'm so sorry -.- I actually had it nearly done by the end of August and was super happy that I'd make it just in time, but then something awful happened.._

_The data stick the chapter was on crushed and I, of course, had no backups. This is a shame for someone who's a sixth computer scientist.._

_So in my frustration I started a completely different ff and wrote nothing else the whole summer long.. forgive me _

_But here I'm back again! So please enjoy the new "arc"_

* * *

**The spark is ignited  
**

The ninja world is a cruel and brute place. It's dominated by wars, by death, by grieving widows and vengeful orphans and more sorrow than one heart could possibly take.

In this bloody world, it is hard to believe, that there are also peaceful places, where hate is a word nobody knows. Lands, where the people live peacefully and in harmony together.

Yes, there are those countries, and one of them is located south to the land of fire. It's poor and weak and never been victimized by the stronger countries or got caught up by the ninja wars as it was far off the battle fields.

But, as the world is cruel, peace is nothing but an unstable dream, which never lasts long. This is the fate, this one country had to experience as well in the flow of it's time. There's always a dark spark lingering around, waiting to set aflame the humans' hearts in hatred and blood lust.

In that countries case, the spark was called greed, and the, first heavenly seeming breeze, which made it grow to an everything consuming flame, was called money.

Those people, ever poor, were living on farming and only had what they needed all their lives. And they've been content with that. Until the day they got an anonymous donation. An enormous donation. It was so much money, only few inhabitants could even read the number. It was like an open door for a new world, new opportunities, a new direction their country could head towards.

Soon, the country was split. Some wanted to improve the agriculture to ensure wealth and food to all the farmers. Some wanted to go into industry, developing their country and gaining an important role in world affairs. And there were those, who wanted to invest into military. They wanted to learn how to fight, wanted to defend their country when necessary, fearing the overwhelming power of the ninja powers.

And thus, as no one knew how to compromise, and no one intended to compromise, a civil war broke out.

Reluctantly Itachi approached the wooden, awfully unstable looking fence and looked at it skeptically. It was obvious that this thing had been put up in a rush and by people who had absolutely no idea what they were doing.

Wh-who are you?!", the heads of some nervous looking guys appeared above the fence and they drew their bows clumsily and pointed arrows at him with trembling hands.

Itachi sighed. It were moments like this when he hated his job. Those missions he got and he just wasn't in the mood for things like that. Not in the slightest. But he couldn't refuse, and this mission even less.

"I'm from Konohagakure!", Itachi hissed at them as he pointed on his head band. "You've called for me, didn't you?"

The guys flinched and looked at each other a bit, but then they finally nodded.

"Ok! We'll open the door."

One of them jumped down and few time later, the door of the fence opened with a loud noise. Like it was to collapse any second.

Itachi breathed in deeply and told himself that he would get this over with as quickly as possible.

He stepped through the gate and looked around. They seemed to have some wooden planks around a little farmer village and now used that for their military base. This fence and the gate were a joke, though. Someone just had to blow against in gently and everything here would collapse.

The guys, who seemed to be the guards, stared at him with huge eyes, like it was the first time they've seen a Ninja. Well, maybe it really was their first time. They looked a bit frightened, but had their weapons put down.

Itachi just smirked at that naivety.

Before they could even blink, he was already standing behind them, knocking them down on the ground with only one single hit for each one. Before they even noticed what just had happened, they were already lying there, barely able to move.

"You're far too laid back. What if I was an enemy in disguise? You've would have lost the war just as fast as I beat you up right now. You should always check the identity before you let anybody in. Even though with this eyesore of a fence it wouldn't matter much anyway."

Those, who were laying on their backs, stared with horrified eyes at him as they tried to regain their strength to get up. But it was futile.

"Wh-Why did you do this..?", one of them asked with his shaken voice.

"Don't you know why I'm here?", Itachi noticed that he started to enjoy this a bit, but then he immediately scolded himself for that. Terrifying poor, defenseless farmers, this was actually not what he usually did. "I'm here to teach you!", he answered for them.

Actually the one who didn't know why he was here, was Itachi himself. He had come here with a mission and very very little information. All he did know was, that in this country the people got nuts and started a civil war over some money. And that one of the parties had asked Konoha to help them. So now Itachi was here, sent to teach a bunch of farmers how to fight and kill those who were once their friends.  
Maybe that was the reason he was being so mean towards them. He couldn't stand them from the moment he had heard of their sole existence.

The things he didn't know was why those guys started a war to begin with. He didn't even know what side he was on. And he didn't know who these guys were, he should teach, what they knew of fighting and what they wanted him to do.

But those things he would hopefully figure out soon himself. The things that really worried him, were those things that confused him.

The fact, that he was sent here not by the Hokage, but of the leader of the top secret assassin squad himself, Danzo. And that he had told him that this was a top secret mission he mustn't tell anyone about. He had to leave the village immediately after receiving the mission, without saying goodbye to anyone and without even preparing.

This all made no sense. Why should this be a secret mission? It was just a usual mission to support in a war. And with those useless farmers it was more a joke than a mission. This wasn't much different from any babysitting mission a Genin would get.

Somehow this made him feel really uneasy. He didn't trust this whole story.

"Who are you? And what are you doing to my men?", an old voice approached from behind Itachi.

Itachi turned around, and as expected he looked into the old, worn-out and wrinkled face of someone who had been farming for many, many years of his life. Most likely all his life.

"Your men? Then I assume you are the leader of this group?", Itachi answered with a counter question.

"That's right", the man seemed to know at least a bit what he was doing. He didn't let on any fear or insecurity. "I give you one last chance to identify yourself, or I'll have you eliminated."

Behind the building and on top of the roofs more and more men appeared and held their weapons towards Itachi. Of course he had long noticed them. And of course they were just as clueless as those guards before, Itachi could knock them all down in a blink of his eye.

"Pretty impolite welcome for someone you have ordered here yourself", Itachi replied and pointed with his thumb at his headband a second time.

"Is this.. is this a joke?", suddenly the old man seemed to have lost his composure and looked at Itachi with gaped eyes.

"Once in my lifetime I turn to the Shinobi for help and what do they do? They send me a kid? Do you want to mock me?!" He was outraged.

Itachi thought that he should feel offended in some way, but he couldn't bring himself to care only the slightest bit about what that guy was shouting.

"Do those arrogant assholes even understand how important this victory is? How dare they sending me a child?!", he just didn't stop.

"Hey, hey, calm down", Itachi suddenly realized that this would possibly keep on for eternity and he wanted to go home, "do you have some problem with me?"

"How old are you boy?", he hissed at him.

Itachi was a tolerant person and of course, he understood, that farmer children weren't trained to kill pretty much since their birth. So of course, here, they had a different understanding of age and adulthood. Itachi knew that, but still the tone in that man's voice simply pissed him off like hell.

"That's none of your concern, old man. Age has nothing to do with my capability."

You should think, that the fact that Itachi had knocked down a handful of guards in less than a second, should have been enough to prove that fact. Unfortunately the farmers weren't that easy to convince.

"I don't believe a word you say. What's your name, boy?", the old man remained stubborn.  
Now Itachi was overextended. When this was a secret mission, was he even allowed to say his name? Was he supposed to tell any information about himself?

Danzo hadn't said anything about such matters, but maybe he took that knowledge for granted.

Itachi chose to simply avoid that problem by going the old-fashioned way. He threw a smoke bomb on the ground and soon the whole areal was covered by thick, black smoke. At first a choir of coughing arose, which slowly died down and after half a minute the smoke already disappeared again. All the guards and men with their weapons were lying unconscious on the ground, the only ones who were still standing were the old man and Itachi, right on the spots were they had been before.

That guy wanted something he had expected when he had ordered a Shinobi, right? Well, feed the folk with clichés. Can't be too bad, right?

Now that his "army" was wiped out, the anger of the old man was suddenly swept away.

"You.. how did you..?", the shock forced him on his knees as he let his confused eyes wander across his motionless comrades.

"Well, that's what happens if you don't believe me. Just call me Tanuki for the time of our cooperation." He walked towards the old man and reached his hand towards him with the most artificial smile he could manage. "I hope we'll get along well."

All in all, the situation was even worse than Itachi had imagined. He and the self-proclaimed leader of the greedy farmers, Ukou-san, hated each other to the blood. Moreover, those farmers seemed to have never gotten into even a brawl before, had no idea of fighting at all and their "weapons" were a catastrophe.

Itachi bowed over the documents he had ordered to be brought. He wanted a list of fighters with their age and their special skills, a list of the weapons they had and the information they had about the other parties.

The nearly white sheet he was staring at now was more than disillusioning. And to make matters worse, he had finally come to know which party of the war he was helping: The military fanatics. With other words, he was helping those fools who were thirsting for blood to create a country with even more violence and bloodshed. Itachi wanted to cry.

"Would you like to have some tea, Tanuki-san?", a deep, calm voice ripped him out of his desperation.

"Yes, thank you Sakyuu-san." Itachi took the cup of tea gratefully.

Sakyuu-san was the right hand of Ukou and the ultimate opposite of him. He was rather young, big and calm, gentle and smart. To Itachi he was the only reasonable person in this bunch of savages. Without him he would have already despaired.

"We're a hopeless case, huh?", he concluded after seeing Itachi's worn out face.

Itachi didn't answer. Denying that would be a lie. And confirming it would only mean that he'd admit his own incapability. His incapability of working wonders.

"But the others aren't any better..", he said like he was making a joke.

Itachi nearly choked on his tea and started to cough. Of course. Why didn't he realize it earlier? He didn't have to show some farmers how to fight people like him. He had to show them how to fight people like them. And if those were really not any better than those he had here, this was going to be easy.

* * *

_Unfortunately I'm a bit in a hurry right now.. so I can't proofread it _

_I just hope there aren't that many mistakes and update a corrected version the next days_


	41. The flame is fed

_And here already comes the next chapter! Pretty soon for my standards_

_I don't want to have this "arc" taking ages so I try updating more often.._

_For two days now I also have a blog and on tumblr now, where I plan to post about my progress, and maybe a bit about my life and stuff_

_I don't know what I'll post, but if you're interested feel free to check it out_

_My name on tumblr is **bloodylucy93**, I'm looking forward to seeing you there!_

* * *

**The flame is fed  
**

As strange as it sounded, Itachi was even slightly motivated now. Making these farmers to warriors, it was a kind of challenge he had never experienced before. And he loved challenges.

First thing he did was ordering all the ones willing to fight to line up before him. Of course they weren't really happy about that. Some of them claimed they were feeling like on a medical examination when Itachi walked from man to man and looked at him thoroughly.

But well, it was pretty close to it. Itachi asked everyone about his skills, his strength and weapons he could use, desperately clutching at straws that someone actually had potential.

And Itachi wasn't disappointed. Mostly because you can't be disappointed when you have no expectations at all, but those farmers might even prove to be of some use. Working out in the field all day surely provided a well-built and strong body. Plus, they could handle a few weapons. Or rather tools which could just perfectly be abused as weapons.

Itachi showed them how to kill several men in few seconds using the tools they used every day for cutting weed and corn. They were shocked. The fact that they've never even imagined that sickles and knives could also be used that way only ensured Itachi more that they were better off not to learn it. But a mission was a mission and there was nothing he could do about it.

He decided to divide his fighters into groups. He separated them by strength and skill, so he could focus on only one weapon for each farmer. There was no time for more.

In the end there were five groups he instructed separately in handling bows, swords, knives, sickles and spears. Furthermore he taught everyone a few basic martial arts skills.

Itachi was almost proud of his own training skills and his strategy, he was about to write Danzo a report only to brag.

It went far better than expected and Itachi even had fun instructing. The war and the issues he had started to fade from his mind. The only thing bothering him right now, was that catchy song in his head, he couldn't even identify. It was like 'Let's get down to business~', well, really strange.

Ukou and most of the other old men were put into the group learning to handle sickles. Their physical strength wasn't the best anymore, their eyesight not good enough for archery and their movements not quick enough to give them knives and hope they survive. And their long experience made them handling the short sickles with the iron chains the best.

He didn't even do that bad, but Itachi couldn't bring himself to utter one word of praise. He couldn't really explain why, but he just couldn't stand that guy.

"What are you glaring at?", Ukou hissed at him pissed.

Well, obviously Itachi was glaring at him while thinking about how much he hated him.

"If you don't plan to instruct us properly, then just leave!"

Such an unfriendly, impolite and ingrate man. Itachi furrowed his forehead and glared at him only more.

"Why are you so obsessed with this war?", Itachi finally brought himself to ask.

He just couldn't understand it. A land, which always had been peaceful and knew nothing of the cruel real world tried anything to change this. Just what was going on in these heads?

Ukou's expression became even darker as he avoided Itachi's eyes.

"I just.. we can't loose. No matter what, we can't!", he insisted.

"But why?", Itachi should know better. This was none of his business. It had nothing to do with his actual mission. but he finally wanted to understand their motives.

"Just know.. I have to win this war. My son he..", he hesitated, staring at the ground, "my son is with the others."

Itachi had to put up his best pokerface in order to hide the thoughts and emotions running through his head right now.

"You think I'm truly despicable now, don't you?", Ukou asked toneless without looking at him.

"I'm not obligated to neither have nor give any opinion", Itachi answered just as toneless and turned to go.

The truth was, he had an opinion. A clear one. He just hated that guy even more. A man who was willing to fight against his own son for his selfish wishes. Itachi had no words for the intensity of negative emotions he had for that.

And what was even worse: that guy kind of reminded him of his own father.

* * *

He went over to the "soldiers" training the fight with spears. He hoped for Sakyuu to calm him down again, to give him some hope back for the good in humanity.

Just when he arrived, Sakyuu was throwing a spear at an aim and hit it perfectly. He was big, strong and precise and now made a great warrior. Itachi was proud and terrified at the same time.

That nice, peaceful guy would kill people with those techniques Itachi had taught him. Itachi was about to turn farmers in to murderers and corpses. The more he thought about it this way, the more he hated it. But, still, there was nothing he could do about it.

Itachi gulped, trying to ban these thoughts from his head.

"Great throw!", he shouted at him and Sakyuu turned at him, grinning broadly.

"Thanks!", he said and wanted to go on with something, but seeing Itachi's face made him startle.

"Everything alright?", he asked.

Was Itachi that obvious? He was sure that he had hidden his uneasiness quite well. This guy was just too sensitive.

"Yes, yes..", Itachi mumbled.

Sakyuu wasn't convinced, of course. He made a hand sign at the others to let them know that he was about to make a break.

"Are you sure?", Sakyuu took him aside and looked at him worried, "You just came from the sickle section, didn't you? Did you have a fight with Ukou-san?"

Why was he that smart? Somehow it annoyed Itachi. He was looking right through him, just like Seishi always did. Only that Seishi also liked looking through him in a non-metaphorical sense.

"It's just.. I don't get him. I can't stand him at all.. he's starting a war on a whim, even when he has to fight his own son for it", Itachi knew that lying was futile. But he really didn't like to say what was on his mind, especially not to people who actually were strangers to him.

"I understand..", Sakyuu said to himself while wondering about what he'd say.

"You know.. we all started that war together. It wasn't Ukou-san's decision."

Itachi nodded. He knew that, but still he felt better having someone to blame. Even better when it was someone he didn't like.

"And about his son.. well.. do you know why Ukou-san chose this site of the war at the first place? Why he wants to build up military in this land?"

Itachi shook his head. Maybe because he was nuts? Maybe because he was bored with his farming life and wanted to see some blood?

"A couple of years ago.. well I guess it's already been fifteen years - Ukou-san's son was only a small child - he had a lovely and wonderful wife", Sakyuu started to tell the story.

A wife? Well.. it was only natural to have a wife when you have a son. Usually.

"But then bandits attacked the village. They took everything they wanted. And they killed Ukou-san's wife right in front of his eyes. There was nothing he could do about it. He was helpless, didn't know how to fight, was to weak for it. All he could do was watch. Ever since then Ukou-san is fighting for a military here. He wants that every man is able to fight, able to protect himself and those he loves. So no one has to go through that helplessness again."

Sakyuu made a pause, waiting for his words to sink in Itachi's head. And Itachi was speechless. This was changing everything he knew.

"Most of the people on our side are like that as well. They went through hard times, had to experience despair and the fear of losing something important. The fear of being unable to protect what's important. That's why we are here. That's why we fight. And that's why the other parties in this war won't understand us. Because they are young, not experienced or simply lucky. Just like Ukou-san's son who was too young to understand the cruelty of this world."

This was the first time he had thought about it that way. Of course Itachi knew the feeling of helplessness very well. The fear of losing someone important without being able to do anything.

Instantly Itachi had these pictures in front of his eyes. Sayuri's body being ripped from her feet and crushing against a rock. The sight of her disappearing in that endless hole in the ground. How much did he despair back then? How often did he wish for being stronger? Being able to protect her?

"I see you have experienced it yourself, Tanuki-san." Sakyuu read his face like a book.

Itachi didn't nod nor say something. He didn't like being seen through like that. This was a secret mission and he was supposed to stay incognito, keeping as much information about his person hidden as possible.

But since nobody here even knew his name, it wasn't that tragic when Itachi bitched around a bit and acted weird. So for now he just shrugged slightly and left the spear training site, too, without another word.

* * *

He needed some time time to cope with what he just had heard and the emotions dwelling up inside him, so he went for the smallest training site: Swords.

The people training here equaled the numbers of swords they had as weapons, so it was barely worth mentioning. Itachi took one of those swords and played around a bit, acting like he wanted to teach some moves.

In truth, holding a sword strangely calmed him down and returned some peace to his mind. He was no swordsman, though, but still he kinda liked this weapon.

The farmers watched him with big eyes.

"Wow, you are really good with the sword! You're good with everything here, but with swords.. they really fit you! Do you usually use swords?"

Itachi had to pull himself together to refrain from flinching. He had totally forgotten the presence of those guys. He turned around to them and to his displeasure, he had to notice that Ukou, too, was watching him from afar.

"Well, no, I actually don't have a sword", he admitted.

Did he just see something weird in Ukou's eyes? No, he only saw him in the corner of his eyes. It must have been his imagination.

A few more days passed, without anything remarkable having happened. The farmers slowly became soldiers, raising a bit hope in Itachi that they might even all survived.

But in the end it was war. And in war there always are fatalities, no matter how weak the opponent may be.

Just when Itachi felt like it was about to become boring and he had to make up a plan to strike, a messenger bird from Konoha landed on his head. He hated it so much when they landed on the head. First, those things had claws, huge claws, and it fucking hurt. And second.. birds above the head.. that's just a nightmare on its own.

After this unpleasant surprise, he wasn't in the best mood when opening the scroll from Konoha. It was a letter from Danzo. Itachi got a weird feeling in his tummy, he was getting nervous. Handling Danzo had always been anything else but a pleasure, and only holding a message from him in his hands made him sick.

Still he read the letter carefully, gulped, and called Ukou and Sakyuu. The calm days of playing around were over now.

"According to the information we have, the other two parties will meet tomorrow and fight. We have the time and the place the battle is supposed to be carried out", Itachi summed up the letter.

So they had been spying on the others the whole time? This only meant that that war really was important to Konoha. And they didn't even tell Itachi about it. Just what was going on?

"So what about it? Shall we wait and hope they wipe out each other?", Ukou asked foolishly.

"No..", Sakyuu thought differently, "we ambush them and strike when they are weakened and don't expect us, right?"

Itachi nodded. That was the plan. Ukou behaved a bit weird, but he had no objections. Was he thinking about his son? Did he really think he could fight in a war against him and get him out unharmed?

They finished the last preparations for the big battle. Hopefully it would be the first and the last in this war. Itachi wanted to go home. He wouldn't say that he was homesick, but he wanted to see Sayuri and Sasuke again. And maybe Seishi, too. But only a little.

They packed food, weapons and water together and already were about to leave when Ukou called for Itachi once again.

"What is it?", Itachi was quite annoyed. Just what wanted that old guy now?

'Don't tell me he's shitting his pants and wants to call it all off now?', he thought.

But he was wrong. Ukou reached something at him. Something long being wrapped in linen sheets.

"I want to give this to you", he said.

"What is it?", Itachi noticed that he repeated the same sentence only in another context. Was that weird? It felt weird.  
Ukou hesitated a bit, but then unwrapped the package. Itachi's jaw flapped open at the sight of the beautiful sword.

"You.. you had a sword the whole time?! Why didn't you tell me?", Itachi was annoyed.

Didn't he say he wanted to have a list of ALL the weapons they owned? And swords here were so rare.

"This sword.. cannot be used..", Ukou mumbled.

Itachi furrowed his brows. He had the urge to punch that guy right into the face.

"Believe me. It is cursed. It's a sword that possesses the holder and forces him to kill the person he loves."

That was the greatest bullshit Itachi had ever heard. It annoyed him even more.  
"So why are you giving it to me then?", he hissed in a derisive tone.  
"Because..", Ukou noticed that Itachi was mocking him, but he decided to ignore it, "because you are the only one who has no one you love out there."

Suddenly Itachi felt bad. That guy was serious. He was seriously believing what he was telling Itachi.

Why did he take the sword? Itachi didn't understand it himself. He wasted no second thought and just grabbed it. Maybe he just wanted to end that awkward conservation as soon as possible.  
And for one moment he really imagined, that some strange and dark energy was flowing inside of him the moment he touched the hold.


End file.
